I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2542
To amend chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, to establish the Joint 
Committee on Agency Rule Review. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 19, 2003
Mr. NEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Rules, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period 
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
A BILL 
To amend chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, to 
establish the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Joint Committee on 
Agency Rule Review Act of 2003’’ or the ‘‘JCARR Act’’. 
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF A JOINT COMMITTEE ON 
AGENCY RULE REVIEW. 
Section 802 of title 5, United States Code, is amend-
ed by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (i) and
by inserting before subsection (i) the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(h)(1) There is established a Joint Committee on 
Agency Rule Review to be composed of 12 Members of 
the Senate to be appointed by the majority leader of the 
Senate and 12 Members of the House of Representatives 
to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Represent-
atives. In each instance, not more than 7 Members shall 
be members of the same political party. 
‘‘(2) In carrying out its duties under this chapter, 
the joint committee, or any duly authorized subcommittee 
thereof, is authorized to—
‘‘(A) hold such hearings, to sit and act at such 
places and times within the United States during the 
sessions, recesses, and adjourned periods of Con-
gress; 
‘‘(B) require the attendance of such witnesses 
and the production of such books, papers, and docu-
ments, administer such oaths, take such testimony, 
procure such printing and binding as it deems nec-
essary; and 
‘‘(C) make such rules respecting its organiza-
tion and procedures as it deems necessary, but no 
bill shall be reported from the joint committee unless 
a majority of the committee assent.
‘‘(3) The members of the joint committee who are 
Members of the Senate shall from time to time report to 
the Senate, and the members of the joint committee who 
are Members of the House of Representatives shall from 
time to time report to the House, by bill or otherwise, their 
recommendations with respect to matters within the juris-
diction of their respective Houses which are referred to 
the joint committee or otherwise within the jurisdiction of 
the joint committee. 
‘‘(4) Vacancies in the membership of the joint com-
mittee shall not affect the power of the remaining mem-
bers to execute the functions of the joint committee, and 
shall be filled in the same manner as in the case of the 
original selection. The joint committee shall select a chair-
man and a vice chairman from among its members at the 
beginning of each Congress. The vice chairman shall act 
in place of the chairman in the absence of the chairman. 
The chairmanship shall alternate between the Senate and 
the House of Representatives with each Congress, and the 
chairman shall be selected by the Members from that 
House entitled to the chairmanship. The vice chairman 
shall be chosen from the House other than that of the 
chairman by the Members from that House. 
‘‘(5) The joint committee may appoint and fix the 
compensation of such staff as it deems necessary.
‘‘(6)(A) Notwithstanding any law, rule, or other au-
thority, there shall be paid out of the applicable accounts 
of the House of Representatives such sums as may be nec-
essary for one-half of the expenses of the joint committee. 
Such payments shall be made on vouchers signed by the 
chairman or vice chairman of the joint committee who is 
a Member of the House of Representatives, as the case 
may be, and approved in the manner directed by the Com-
mittee on House Administration of the House of Rep-
resentatives. Amounts made available under this para-
graph shall be expended in accordance with regulations 
prescribed by the Committee on House Administration of 
the House of Representatives. 
‘‘(B) (To be supplied by the Senate).’’. 
SEC. 3. CONSIDERATION IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTA-
TIVES AND THE SENATE. 
(a) HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.—Section 802 of 
title 5, United States Code, is amended by redesignating 
subsection (f) as subsection (g) and by inserting after sub-
section (e) the following new subsection:
‘‘(f)(1) In the House, after the third legislative day 
after the date on which the joint committee has reported 
a joint resolution described in subsection (a), it is in order 
for any Member of the House to move to proceed to con-
sideration of the joint resolution. All points of order
against the motion to proceed and against consideration 
of that motion are waived. The motion is privileged in the 
House and is not debatable. The motion is not subject to 
amendment, or to a motion to postpone, or to a motion 
to proceed to the consideration of other business. A motion 
to reconsider the vote by which the motion is agreed to 
or disagreed to shall not be in order. If a motion to pro-
ceed to the consideration of the joint resolution is agreed 
to, the House shall immediately proceed to consideration 
of the joint resolution without intervening motion (except 
one motion to adjourn), order, or other business. 
‘‘(2)(A) In the House, debate shall be confined to the 
joint resolution and shall not exceed one hour equally di-
vided and controlled by a proponent and an opponent of 
the joint resolution. The previous question shall be consid-
ered as ordered on the joint resolution to final passage 
without intervening motion, except one motion to recom-
mit. A motion to reconsider the vote on passage of the 
joint resolution shall not be in order.’’. 
(b) SENATE.—The first sentence of section 802(d)(1) 
of title 5, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
‘‘any Member of the Senate to make’’ before ‘‘a motion 
to proceed’’.
SEC. 4. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS. 
(a) CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW.—Section 801(a) of 
title 5, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking ‘‘each 
House of Congress’’ and inserting ‘‘the joint com-
mittee’’; 
(2) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking ‘‘each 
House of Congress’’ and inserting ‘‘the joint com-
mittee’’; 
(3) by amending paragraph (1)(C) to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(C) Upon receipt of a report submitted under sub-
paragraph (A), the chairman or vice chairman of the joint 
committee shall provide copies of the report to the chair-
man and ranking member of each applicable standing 
committee with jurisdiction under the rules of the House 
of Representatives or the Senate of the subject matter of 
the provision of law under which the rule is issued.’’; 
(4) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ‘‘commit-
tees of jurisdiction in each House of the Congress’’ 
and inserting ‘‘joint committee’’; 
(5) in paragraph (3)(A)(i), by striking ‘‘Con-
gress’’ and inserting ‘‘joint committee’’; and 
(6) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘Congress’’ 
and inserting ‘‘the joint committee’’.
(b) CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL PROCEDURE.—
Section 802 of title 5, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘Congress’’ 
the first place it appears and inserting ‘‘the joint 
committee’’; 
(2) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the 
following new subsection: 
‘‘(b) For purposes of this section, the term ‘submis-
sion or publication date’ means the later of the date on 
which—
‘‘(1) the joint committee receives the report 
submitted under section 801(a)(1); or 
‘‘(2) the rule is published in the Federal Reg-
ister, if so published.’’; 
(3) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘committee to 
which is referred a joint resolution described in sub-
section (a) has not reported such’’ and inserting 
‘‘joint committee has not reported a’’; and 
(4) in subsection (d)(1), by striking ‘‘committee 
to which is referred a joint resolution is referred has 
reported’’ and inserting ‘‘joint committee’’ and by 
striking ‘‘a committee’’ and inserting ‘‘the joint com-
mittee’’.
(c) DEFINITIONS.—Section 804 of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(4) The term ‘joint committee’ refers to the 
Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review.’’. 
SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
This Act and the amendments made by it shall take 
effect at noon on January 3, 2005.
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