III 

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. 

1 Resolved, 

2 SECTION 1. PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF A DESCRIPTIVE SUM3 MARY OF EACH PROVISION OF LEGISLATION. 

4 (a) COMMITTEES.—Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules 

5 of the Senate is amended by inserting at the end thereof 

6 the following: 

7 ‘‘14. (a) It shall not be in order in a subcommittee 

8 or committee to proceed to any legislative matter unless 


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•SRES 19 IS 

1 the legislative matter and a descriptive summary of each 

2 provision of the legislative matter has been publically 

3 available on the Internet as provided in subparagraph (b) 

4 in searchable form 72 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sun5 days and holidays except when the Senate is in session 

6 on such a day) prior to proceeding. 

7 ‘‘(b) With respect to the requirements of subpara8 graph (a), the legislative matter and descriptive summary 

9 of each provision shall be available on the official website 

10 of the committee. 

11 ‘‘(c) This paragraph may be waived or suspended in 

12 the subcommittee or committee only by an affirmative vote 

of 2 13 ⁄3 of the Members of the subcommittee or committee. 

An affirmative vote of 2 14 ⁄3 of the Members of the sub15 committee or committee shall be required to sustain an 

16 appeal of the ruling of the Chair on a point of order raised 

17 under this paragraph. 

18 ‘‘(d)(1) It shall not be in order in the Senate to pro19 ceed to a legislative matter if the legislative matter was 

20 proceeded to in a subcommittee or committee in violation 

21 of this paragraph. 

22 ‘‘(2) This subparagraph may be waived or suspended 

in the Senate only by an affirmative vote of 2 23 ⁄3 of the 

24 Members, duly chosen and sworn. An affirmative vote of 

2 25 ⁄3 of the Members of the Senate, duly chosen and sworn, 


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•SRES 19 IS 

1 shall be required in the Senate to sustain an appeal of 

2 the ruling of the Chair on a point of order raised under 

3 this subparagraph. 

4 ‘‘(e) In this paragraph, the term ‘legislative matter’ 

5 means any bill, joint resolution, concurrent resolution, 

6 conference report, or substitute amendment.’’. 

7 (b) SENATE.—Rule XVII of the Standing Rules of 

8 the Senate is amended by inserting at the end thereof the 

9 following: 

10 ‘‘6. (a) It shall not be in order in the Senate to pro11 ceed to any legislative matter unless the legislative matter 

12 and a descriptive summary of each provision of the legisla13 tive matter has been publically available on the Internet 

14 as provided in subparagraph (b) in searchable form 72 

15 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays except 

16 when the Senate is in session on such a day) prior to pro17 ceeding. 

18 ‘‘(b) With respect to the requirements of subpara19 graph (a), the legislative matter and descriptive summary 

20 of each provision shall be available on the official website 

21 of the committee with jurisdiction over the subject matter 

22 of the legislative matter. 

23 ‘‘(c) This paragraph may be waived or suspended in 

the Senate only by an affirmative vote of 2 24 ⁄3 of the Members, duly chosen and sworn. An affirmative vote of 2 25 ⁄3


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•SRES 19 IS 

1 of the Members of the Senate, duly chosen and sworn, 

2 shall be required in the Senate to sustain an appeal of 

3 the ruling of the Chair on a point of order raised under 

4 this paragraph. 

5 ‘‘(d) In this paragraph, the term ‘legislative matter’ 

6 means any bill, joint resolution, concurrent resolution, 

7 conference report, or substitute amendment.’’. 

8 SEC. 2. PROTECTION OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION. 

9 Nothing in this resolution or any amendment made 

10 by this resolution shall be interpreted to require or permit 

11 the declassification or posting on the Internet of classified 

12 information in the custody of the Senate. Such classified 

13 information shall be made available to Members in a time14 ly manner as appropriate under existing laws and rules. 

Æ 


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