PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the House Committee on Rules.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jan 9, 2007
Amends the Rules of the House of Representatives to add Rule XXIX (Bipartisan Administration of the House) to require: (1) the elected leadership of the majority and minority parties to engage in regular consultations with each other to discuss House scheduling, administration, and operations; and (2) the chair and ranking minority member of each committee and their staffs to have regular meetings with each other.
Amends Rule X (Organization of Committees) to require that allocation of amounts provided to a committee under a primary or supplemental expense resolution or during an interim funding period be paid at the ranking minority member's direction.
Adds Rule XXX (Regular Order for Legislation) to require legislation to come to the floor, generally, under a procedure that allows open, full, and fair debate consisting of a full amendment process that grants the minority the right to offer its alternatives, including a substitute.
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Requires Members to have at least 24 hours to examine bill and conference report text before floor consideration. Requires rules governing floor debate to be reported before 10 p.m. for any legislation to be considered the following day.
Requires floor votes to be completed within 15 minutes, with the customary two-minute extension to accommodate Members' ability to get to the House chamber to cast their votes. Prohibits votes from being held open in order to manipulate the outcome.
Requires: (1) conference committees to hold regular meetings (at least weekly) of all conference committee Members; and (2) all managers appointed to such committee to be informed of its schedule of activities in a timely manner and given ample opportunity for input and debate as decisions are made toward final language for the conference report.
Restricts the Suspension Calendar to non-controversial legislation. Makes the ratio of legislation sponsored by members of the minority party on such Calendar the same as their ratio to the membership of the whole House.
People & committees
Rep. McHenry, Patrick T. [R-NC-10] · R–NC
Legislative record
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Referred to the House Committee on Rules.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Apr 7, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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