Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to require that legislation and conference reports be available on the Internet for 72 hours before consideration by the House, and for other purposes.

Bill: 111-hres-554
Sponsor: Rep. Baird, Brian [D-WA-3]
Introduced: 2009-06-17 in the House
Policy area: Congress
Subjects: Appropriations
Congressional committees
Congressional operations and organization
Government information and archives
House Committee on Appropriations
House Committee on Rules
House of Representatives
Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Legislative rules and procedure

Summary:
action_date: 2009-06-17
text: 
Amends Rule XIII (Calendars and Committee Reports) of the Rules of the House of Representatives to make it out of order in the House to consider a measure or matter until 72 hours (currently, until the third day) (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays unless the House is in session on such a day) after its text (and, if any, the text of all accompanying reports) have been made available to Members, Delegates, the Resident Commissioner (Members), and the general public.
 
Requires the full text of the legislation and each committee report, without further amendment before floor consideration, to be posted continuously by means of the Internet.
 
Prohibits consideration in the House of a general appropriation bill reported by the Committee on Appropriations until 72 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays unless the House is in session on such a day) after printed hearings of the Committee have been available to Members.
 
Prohibits the Committee on Rules from reporting a rule or order proposing a waiver of this resolution or of Rule XXII (House and Senate Relations) unless a question of consideration of the rule is adopted by a vote of two-thirds of the Members voting, a quorum being present.
 
Amends Rule XXII (House and Senate Relations) to make it out of order in the House to consider a conference report, the accompanying signed joint explanatory statement, or a motion to dispose of a Senate amendment reported in disagreement by a conference committee until after: (1) the 72-hour availability requirement has been met; and (2) posting on the Internet.
 
Declares that nothing in this resolution or any amendment made by it shall be interpreted to require or permit the declassification or posting on the Internet of classified information in the custody of the House. Requires such classified information to be made available to Members in a timely manner as appropriate under existing laws and rules.
 
Expresses the sense of the House that, with the objective of preventing circumvention of this resolution, that the Committee on Rules should develop standardized policies and procedures to require that proposed amendments (except those offered under an open rule) that are major in size, scope, or cost be posted on the Internet for an appropriate number of hours.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-09-23
text: Motion to Discharge Committee filed by Mr. Walden. Petition No: 111-6. (<a href="http://clerk.house.gov/111/lrc/pd/Petitions/Dis6.htm">Discharge petition</a> text with signatures.)
action_date: 2009-06-17
text: Referred to the House Committee on Rules.
action_date: 2009-06-17
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-06-17
text: Introduced in House