To amend the Rules of the House of Representatives to provide for reform of the House of Representatives, and for other purposes.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H3462)
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jan 27, 1993
Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives to appoint a task force to restructure the House committee system by reducing the number of standing committees to a maximum of 15 and establishing their jurisdictions. Amends the Rules of the House of Representatives to prohibit any standing committee from establishing more than four subcommittees, except the Committee on Appropriations. Makes it out of order to consider: (1) any primary expense resolution unless the Committee on House Administration has reported and the House has adopted a resolution establishing an overall ceiling for committee staff for that year; (2) any supplemental expense resolution authorizing additional positions exceeding the ceiling except by a two-thirds vote; or (3) any primary or supplemental expense resolution unless it entitles the minority party on the committees involved to not less than one-third of the funds for committee staff. Limits the overall ceiling for committee staff for the 103d Congress to 50 percent of the staff employed at the end of the 102d Congress. Prohibits proxy voting by any committee or subcommittee member. Requires the membership of each standing, select, or conference committee and each subunit thereof to reflect the ratio of majority to minority party Members of the House, except for the Committees on Standards of Official Conduct and House Administrtion. Directs the Speaker to refer legislation initially to one committee as the committee of principal jurisdiction. Limits a Member's service as a member of a committee to eight years and as committee chairman to four years. Requires the composition of the Committee on House Administration to be one-half majority party members and one-half minority. Allows the chairman or ranking minority party member of the Committee to issue subpoenas. Prohibits the Committee on Rules from reporting any rule or order that would prevent a motion to recommit that has amendatory instructions (except in the case of a Senate measure for which the language of a House passed measure has been substituted). Makes it out of order to consider any resolution which waives any point of order, except by a two-thirds vote. Declares that the following Federal laws should be amended to apply to the House as they apply to the executive branch: (1) the National Labor Relations Act; (2) the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970; (3) the Equal Pay Act of 1963; (4) the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; (5) the Freedom of Information Act; (6) the Privacy Act of 1974; and (7) Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Directs the standing committees of the House with subject jurisdiction over such laws to report implementing legislation.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Jan 2, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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