49–008 

109TH CONGRESS REPT. 109–369 " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session Part 1 

TO ELIMINATE FLOOR PRIVILEGES AND ACCESS TO 

MEMBER EXERCISE FACILITIES FOR FORMER MEMBERS 

WHO ARE REGISTERED LOBBYISTS 

JANUARY 31, 2006.—Referred to the House Calendar and ordered printed 

Mr. DREIER, from the Committee on Rules, 

submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H. Res. 648] 

The Committee on Rules, to whom was referred the resolution 

(H. Res. 648) to eliminate floor privileges and access to Member exercise facilities for registered lobbyists who are former Members or 

officers of the House, report favorably thereon and recommend that 

the resolution be agreed to. 

CONTENTS 

Page 

Purpose and Summary ............................................................................................ 1 

Background and Need for Legislation .................................................................... 1 

Hearings ................................................................................................................... 2 

Committee Consideration ........................................................................................ 2 

Committee Votes ...................................................................................................... 2 

Committee Oversight Findings ............................................................................... 2 

Performance Goals and Objectives ......................................................................... 2 

Congressional Budget Office Estimate ................................................................... 2 

Constitutional Authority Statement ...................................................................... 3 

Exchange of Committee Correspondence ............................................................... 3 

Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation ...................................................... 4 

Changes in the Standing Rules of the House, as Reported .................................. 4 

PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

H. Res. 648, eliminates floor privileges and access to member exercise facilities for registered lobbyists who are former members or 

officers of the House. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

Clause 2(a)(15) of rule IV of the Rules of the House of Representatives for the 109th Congress (‘‘Rules’’) authorizes the admission of 


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former Members, Delegates, and Resident Commissioners, former 

Parliamentarians of the House, elected officers, and minority officer 

nominees to the Hall of the House or the rooms leading thereto. 

Currently, clause 4 of rule IV limits this privilege when that person 

(1) has a ‘‘direct personal or pecuniary interest in any legislative 

measure pending before the House or reported by a committee’’ or 

(2) are employed by an entity for the purpose of influencing the legislative work of the House. 

Given the need to maintain the integrity of the House and its 

proceedings—and the need to prevent even the appearance of impropriety—the Committee believes that it is necessary to tighten 

the rules and regulations governing the access of former Members 

to the Floor and other exclusive facilities of the House. 

HEARINGS

The Committee on Rules received testimony from the Honorable 

Vic Snyder. 

COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

The Committee on Rules met on January 31, 2006 in open session and ordered H. Res. 648 favorably reported to the House without amendment by a voice vote. 

COMMITTEE VOTES

Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives requires the Committee to list the record votes on the motion 

to report legislation and amendments thereto. No record votes were 

taken in conjunction with the consideration of this legislation. A 

motion by Mr. Hastings of Washington to report the bill to the 

House with a favorable recommendation was agreed to by a voice 

vote. 

COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS

Pursuant to clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House 

of Representatives, the Committee made findings that are reflected 

in this report. 

PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House 

of Representatives, the Committee establishes the following performance related goals and objectives for this legislation: 

The appropriate officers and employees of the House will limit 

access to the Hall of the House and rooms leading thereto, as well 

as any exercise facility exclusively available for Members, officers 

and former Members and officers, and their spouses, consistent 

with the provisions of this resolution. 

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATE

The cost estimate provided by the Congressional Budget Office 

pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 

was not available in time for the filing of this report. 


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CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

Pursuant to clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House 

of Representatives, the Committee finds that the Constitutional 

Authority of Congress to enact this legislation is provided by Article 1, section 5, clause 2 (relating to the authority of each House 

to determine the rules of its proceedings). 

EXCHANGE OF COMMITTEE CORRESPONDENCE

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 

COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION, 

Washington, DC, January 31, 2006. 

Hon. DAVID DREIER, 

Chairman, Committee on Rules, 

The Capitol, Washington, DC. 

DEAR CHAIRMAN DREIER, Section 2 of H. Res. 648 restricts the 

access of registered lobbyists to House exercise facilities and accordingly falls within the jurisdiction of the Committee on House 

Administration pursuant to Rule X (which confers jurisdiction to 

this Committee over services to the House and administration of 

the House Office Buildings). The resolution further directs the 

Committee on House Administration to promulgate regulations to 

carry out the restriction. 

In recognition of the desire to move this resolution expeditiously, 

I will waive consideration of the bill by the Committee on House 

Administration. By agreeing to waive its consideration of the resolution, the Committee on House Administration does not waive its 

jurisdiction over the resolution. 

I request that you include this letter and your response in the 

Congressional Record during consideration of the legislation on the 

House floor. 

Thank you for your work on these issues and your attention to 

this matter. 

Sincerely, 

VERNON J. EHLERS, Acting Chairman. 

COMMITTEE ON RULES, 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 

Washington, DC, January 31, 2006. 

Hon. VERNON J. EHLERS, Acting Chairman, Committee on House Administration, 

Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC. 

DEAR CHAIRMAN EHLERS: Thank you for your letter regarding 

your Committee’s jurisdictional interest in H. Res. 648, a resolution 

to eliminate floor privileges and access to member exercise facilities 

for former members who are registered lobbyists. 

I acknowledge your committee’s jurisdictional interest in this legislation and appreciate your cooperation in moving the bill to the 

House floor expeditiously. I agree that your decision to forego further action on the bill will not prejudice the Committee on House 

Administration with respect to its jurisdictional prerogatives on 

this or similar legislation. I will include a copy of your letter and 


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this response in the Committee’s report on the bill and the Congressional Record when the legislation is considered by the House. 

Thank you again for your assistance. 

Sincerely, 

DAVID DREIER, 

Chairman. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE LEGISLATION

Section 1. Floor Privileges of Former Members and Officers 

Clause 4(a) of Rule IV currently limits the privilege of access to 

the Hall of the House granted to former Members, Delegates, or 

Resident Commissioners, former Parliamentarians of the House, or 

former elected officers of the House or former minority employees 

nominated as elected officers of the House in clause 2(a) when that 

person has a direct personal or pecuniary interest in pending legislation or is in the employ of an entity attempting to influence the 

consideration of a legislative proposal. This section amends clause 

4(a) to clarify that former Members, Delegates, or Resident Commissioners, former Parliamentarians of the House, or former elected officers of the House or former minority employees nominated 

as elected officers of the House do not have the privilege of the Hall 

of the House when that person is a registered lobbyist or agent of 

a foreign principal. The amended rule also retains the current restrictions against access if a person has a direct personal or pecuniary interest in pending legislation or is in the employ of an entity 

attempting to influence the consideration of a legislative proposal. 

Subsection (b) authorizes the Speaker to promulgate regulations 

to exempt certain ceremonial or educational functions from the restrictions of the clause, such as a joint meeting to receive a message from a foreign head of state, a tour when the House is not in 

session, or Former Member’s Day. The Committee expects that the 

Clerk of the House will assist the Sergeant-at-Arms in carrying out 

the provisions of this section. 

Section 2. Prohibiting Access to Member Exercise Facilities for Lobbyists who are Former Members or Officers 

Section 2 prohibits the House from providing access to any exercise facility which is made available exclusively to Members, 

former Members, officers, and former officers of the House of Representatives, and their spouses to any former Member, former officer, or spouse who is a registered lobbyist or an agent of a foreign 

principal. Further, it directs the Committee on House Administration to promulgate regulations to carry out this section. 

CHANGES IN THE STANDING RULES OF THE HOUSE MADE BY THE

RESOLUTION, AS REPORTED

In compliance with clause 3(g) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, changes in the standing rules of the 

House made by the resolution, as reported, are shown as follows 

(existing rules proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, 

new matter is printed in italic, existing law in which no change is 

proposed is shown in roman): 


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RULE IV—THE HALL OF THE HOUSE 

* * * * * * * 

4. (a) øFormer Members, Delegates, and Resident Commissioners; former Parliamentarians of the House; and former elected 

officers and minority employees nominated as elected officers of the 

House shall be entitled to the privilege of admission to the Hall of 

the House and rooms leading thereto only if¿ A former Member, 

Delegate, or Resident Commissioner; a former Parliamentarian of 

the House; or a former elected officer of the House or former minority employee nominated as an elected officer of the House shall not 

be entitled to the privilege of admission to the Hall of the House and 

rooms leading thereto if he or she—

(1) is a registered lobbyist or agent of a foreign principal as 

those terms are defined in clause 5 of rule XXV; 

ø(1) they do not have¿ (2) has any direct personal or pecuniary interest in any legislative measure pending before the 

House or reported by a committee; øand¿ or 

ø(2) they are not¿ (3) is in the employ of, or ødo not represent¿ represents, any party or organization for the purpose of 

influencing, directly or indirectly, the passage, defeat, or 

amendment of any legislative ømeasure pending before the 

House, reported by a committee, or under consideration in any 

of its committees or subcommittees¿ proposal. 

(b) The Speaker øshall¿ may promulgate øsuch¿ regulations øas 

may be necessary to implement this rule and to ensure its enforcement¿ that exempt ceremonial or educational functions from the restrictions of this clause. 

Æ 


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