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[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 19 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 19

    To require that a descriptive summary of each provision of any 
 legislative matter be available 72 hours before consideration by any 
 subcommittee or committee of the Senate or on the floor of the Senate.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

             January 25 (legislative day, January 5), 2011

 Mr. Ensign submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
               the Committee on Rules and Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
    To require that a descriptive summary of each provision of any 
 legislative matter be available 72 hours before consideration by any 
 subcommittee or committee of the Senate or on the floor of the Senate.

    Resolved,

SECTION 1. PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF A DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY OF EACH 
              PROVISION OF LEGISLATION.

    (a) Committees.--Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate is 
amended by inserting at the end thereof the following:
    ``14. (a) It shall not be in order in a subcommittee or committee 
to proceed to any legislative matter unless the legislative matter and 
a descriptive summary of each provision of the legislative matter has 
been publically available on the Internet as provided in subparagraph 
(b) in searchable form 72 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and 
holidays except when the Senate is in session on such a day) prior to 
proceeding.
    ``(b) With respect to the requirements of subparagraph (a), the 
legislative matter and descriptive summary of each provision shall be 
available on the official website of the committee.
    ``(c) This paragraph may be waived or suspended in the subcommittee 
or committee only by an affirmative vote of \2/3\ of the Members of the 
subcommittee or committee. An affirmative vote of \2/3\ of the Members 
of the subcommittee or committee shall be required to sustain an appeal 
of the ruling of the Chair on a point of order raised under this 
paragraph.
    ``(d)(1) It shall not be in order in the Senate to proceed to a 
legislative matter if the legislative matter was proceeded to in a 
subcommittee or committee in violation of this paragraph.
    ``(2) This subparagraph may be waived or suspended in the Senate 
only by an affirmative vote of \2/3\ of the Members, duly chosen and 
sworn. An affirmative vote of \2/3\ of the Members of the Senate, duly 
chosen and sworn, shall be required in the Senate to sustain an appeal 
of the ruling of the Chair on a point of order raised under this 
subparagraph.
    ``(e) In this paragraph, the term `legislative matter' means any 
bill, joint resolution, concurrent resolution, conference report, or 
substitute amendment.''.
    (b) Senate.--Rule XVII of the Standing Rules of the Senate is 
amended by inserting at the end thereof the following:
    ``6. (a) It shall not be in order in the Senate to proceed to any 
legislative matter unless the legislative matter and a descriptive 
summary of each provision of the legislative matter has been publically 
available on the Internet as provided in subparagraph (b) in searchable 
form 72 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays except when 
the Senate is in session on such a day) prior to proceeding.
    ``(b) With respect to the requirements of subparagraph (a), the 
legislative matter and descriptive summary of each provision shall be 
available on the official website of the committee with jurisdiction 
over the subject matter of the legislative matter.
    ``(c) This paragraph may be waived or suspended in the Senate only 
by an affirmative vote of \2/3\ of the Members, duly chosen and sworn. 
An affirmative vote of \2/3\ of the Members of the Senate, duly chosen 
and sworn, shall be required in the Senate to sustain an appeal of the 
ruling of the Chair on a point of order raised under this paragraph.
    ``(d) In this paragraph, the term `legislative matter' means any 
bill, joint resolution, concurrent resolution, conference report, or 
substitute amendment.''.

SEC. 2. PROTECTION OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION.

    Nothing in this resolution or any amendment made by this resolution 
shall be interpreted to require or permit the declassification or 
posting on the Internet of classified information in the custody of the 
Senate. Such classified information shall be made available to Members 
in a timely manner as appropriate under existing laws and rules.
                                 <all>
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