IV 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 435 

Establishment of a select committee to investigate and oversee the awarding 

and execution of contracts for relief and reconstruction activities in 

areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 8, 2005 

Mr. TANCREDO submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Rules 

RESOLUTION 

Establishment of a select committee to investigate and oversee the awarding and execution of contracts for relief 

and reconstruction activities in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. 

1 Resolved, That there is established a select committee 

2 to investigate and oversee the awarding and execution of 

3 contracts for relief and reconstruction activities in areas 

4 affected by Hurricane Katrina. 

5 SEC. 2. FUNCTIONS. 

6 The select committee shall conduct an ongoing study 

7 and investigation of the awarding and carrying out of con8 tracts by the Government for relief and reconstruction ac-
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1 tivities in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina, and to 

2 make such recommendations to the House as the select 

3 committee deems appropriate regarding the following mat4 ters— 

5 (1) oversight procedures for the awarding of 

6 contracts and distribution of appropriated funds; 

7 (2) bidding, contracting, and auditing stand8 ards in the issuance of government contracts; 

9 (3) accountability of contractors and Federal, 

10 State, and local government officials involved in pro11 curement; 

12 (4) penalties for violations of law, official cor13 ruption, and abuses in the awarding or carrying out 

14 of government contracts; and 

15 (5) such other matters as the select committee 

16 deems appropriate. 

17 SEC. 3. APPOINTMENT AND MEMBERSHIP. 

18 The select committee shall be composed of 15 individ19 uals, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House (of 

20 whom 7 shall be appointed upon the recommendation of 

21 the minority leader), one of whom shall be designated as 

22 chairman. Any vacancy occurring in the membership of 

23 the select committee shall be filled in the same manner 

24 in which the original appointment was made. 
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1 SEC. 4. RULES AND PROCEDURE. 

2 (a) POWERS.—For the purpose of carrying out this 

3 resolution, the select committee may sit and act during 

4 the present Congress at any time and place within the 

5 United States or elsewhere, whether the House is in ses6 sion, has recessed, or has adjourned and hold such hear7 ings as it considers necessary and to require, by subpoena 

8 or otherwise, the attendance and testimony of such wit9 nesses, the furnishing of information by interrogatory, and 

10 the production of such books, records, correspondence, 

11 memoranda, papers, documents, and other things and in12 formation of any kind as it deems necessary, including 

13 classified materials. 

14 (b) QUORUM.—One-third of the members of the se15 lect committee shall constitute a quorum for the trans16 action of business except for the reporting of the results 

17 of its study and investigation (with its recommendations) 

18 or the authorization of subpoenas, which shall require a 

19 majority of the committee to be actually present. 

20 (c) ISSUANCE OF SUBPOENAS.—A subpoena may be 

21 authorized and issued by the select committee in the con22 duct of any investigation or series of investigations or ac23 tivities only when authorized by 8 members of the select 

24 committee. Authorized subpoenas shall be signed by the 

25 chairman or by any member designated by the select com26 mittee, and may be served by any person designated by 
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1 the chairman or such member. Subpoenas shall be issued 

2 under the seal of the House and attested by the Clerk. 

3 The select committee may request investigations, reports, 

4 and other assistance from any agency of the executive, leg5 islative, or judicial branch of the Government. 

6 (d) MEETINGS.—The chairman, or in his absence a 

7 member designated by the chairman, shall preside at all 

8 meetings and hearings of the select committee. All meet9 ings and hearings of the select committee shall be con10 ducted in open session, unless 8 members of the select 

11 committee vote to close a meeting or hearing. 

12 (e) APPLICABILITY OF RULES OF THE HOUSE.—The 

13 Rules of the House of Representatives applicable to stand14 ing committees shall govern the select committee where 

15 not inconsistent with this resolution. 

16 (f) WRITTEN COMMITTEE RULES.—The select com17 mittee shall adopt additional written rules, which shall be 

18 public, to govern its procedures, which shall not be incon19 sistent with this resolution or the Rules of the House of 

20 Representatives. 

21 SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS. 

22 (a) APPOINTMENT OF STAFF.—The select committee 

23 staff shall be appointed, and may be removed, by the 

24 chairman and shall work under the general supervision 

25 and direction of the chairman. 
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1 (b) COMPENSATION.—The chairman shall fix the 

2 compensation of all staff of the select committee within 

3 the budget approved for such purposes for the select com4 mittee. 

5 (c) REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES.—The select 

6 committee may reimburse the members of its staff for 

7 travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred 

8 by them in the performance of the their functions for the 

9 select committee. 

10 (d) PAYMENT OF EXPENSES.—There shall be paid 

11 out of the applicable accounts of the House such sums 

12 as may be necessary for the expenses of the select com13 mittee. Such payments shall be made on vouchers signed 

14 by the chairman of the select committee and approved in 

15 the manner directed by the Committee on House Adminis16 tration. Amounts made available under this subsection 

17 shall be expended in accordance with regulations pre18 scribed by the Committee on House Administration. 

19 (e) EXPIRATION.—The select committee shall cease 

20 to exist at the close of the 109th Congress. 

21 SEC. 6. REPORTS. 

22 (a) REPORTS.—The select committee shall provide 

23 quarterly reports to the House containing the results of 

24 its study and investigation, with its recommendations. Any 

25 report made by the select committee when the House is 
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1 not in session shall be filed with the Clerk of the House. 

2 Any report made by the select committee shall be referred 

3 to the committee or committees that have jurisdiction over 

4 the subject matter of the report. 

5 (b) RECORDS.—Upon the dissolution of the select 

6 committee, the records, files, and materials of the select 

7 committee shall be transferred to the Clerk of the House. 

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