IV
104TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. RES. 478
To amend the Rules of the House of Representatives to provide public
access to committee documents over the Internet, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JULY 16, 1996
Mr. WHITE (for himself, Mr. DREIER, Mr. BASS, Mr. BROWNBACK, and Mr.
FRISA) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committee on House Over-
sight, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each
case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of
the committee concerned
RESOLUTION
To amend the Rules of the House of Representatives to
provide public access to committee documents over the
Internet, and for other purposes.
Resolved,
SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF STANDARDS FOR IMPLE-
MENTATION OF ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT RE-
FORM.
(a) The Committee on House Oversight is authorized
and directed to establish standards to provide guidance
to the Clerk and committees respecting electronic data
bases which may be accessed by committees to effectuate
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the electronic document reform necessary to enable com-
mittees to carry out the amendments to the Rules of the
House of Representatives made by section 3.
(b) In the establishment of standards under sub-
section (a), the Committee on House Oversight is encour-
aged to develop those standards in consultation with the
Senate so that identical standards can be implemented in
the House of Representatives and in the Senate.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF ELECTRONIC DATA BASE BY
THE CLERK.
The Clerk shall—
(1) establish a central electronic data base of
official documents to which committees may have ac-
cess to carry out the amendments made by section
3;
(2) establish universal data elements respecting
such official documents; and
(3) implement standards established by the
Committee on House Oversight with respect to the
content of electronic data bases which may be
accessed to carry out paragraph (1).
SEC. 3. ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT AVAILABILITY: COMMIT-
TEE REPORTS.
Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives
is amended by adding at the end the following new clause:
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‘‘7. (a) Upon the filing of a report by any committee
under clause 2(l)(1)(B) or by the Committee on Rules,
that committee shall make that report available electroni-
cally on the Internet.
‘‘(b) Whenever any committee approves any measure,
that committee shall make that measure available elec-
tronically on the Internet.
‘‘(c) Each committee shall make its rules available
electronically on the Internet not later than the date such
rules are published in the Congressional Record pursuant
to clause 2(a) and whenever they are subsequently amend-
ed.
‘‘(d) Each committee shall simultaneously make
available electronically on the Internet all information re-
specting any rollcall vote otherwise made available for pub-
lic inspection under clause 2(e)(1).
‘‘(e) Whenever any committee authorizes the payment
or reimbursement of expenses to be incurred by a member
or staff of that committee for travel, it shall make a copy
of that authorization available electronically on the
Internet.
‘‘(f) Whenever any member of a committee offers an
amendment to any measure being considered by that com-
mittee, the committee shall make that amendment avail-
able electronically on the Internet.
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‘‘(g) Whenever a committee print of any measure or
a chairman’s mark is generally made available to members
of the committee, the committee shall make it available
electronically on the Internet.
‘‘(h) Whenever a committee submits its oversight
plans to the Committee on Government Reform and Over-
sight and to the Committee on House Oversight pursuant
to clause 2(d) of rule X, it shall make a copy available
electronically on the Internet.
‘‘(i) Each committee shall make electronically avail-
able on the Internet the following:
‘‘(1) An up-to-date directory of its membership
and staff.
‘‘(2) Any schedule or notice of committee activ-
ity.
‘‘(3) Any advance written statement submitted
to the committee of proposed testimony unless it is
to be presented in executive session.
‘‘(4) The transcript of a meeting or hearing
within 5 calendar days of that meeting or hearing,
except transcripts of executive sessions.
‘‘(j) This clause shall not apply to the Committee on
Standards of Official Conduct or the Permanent Select
Committee on Intelligence.’’.
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SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This resolution shall take effect upon the date of its
adoption, except that the amendments made by section 3
shall take effect immediately prior to noon January 3,
1997.
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