Establishes an ad hoc Joint Committee on the Organization of the Congress to make a full and complete study of the organization, operations, functions, and relevant interactions of the Members of Congress and to make recommendations that serve specified objectives.
Requires the committee to include in its report to both chambers at the end of a congressional session recommendations for its continuation or designation of a similar entity to continue the pursuit of improvements in the congressional process.
[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 169 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
114th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. CON. RES. 169
Establishing a Joint Committee on the Organization of Congress.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 28, 2016
Mr. LaHood (for himself, Mr. Lipinski, Mr. Rodney Davis of Illinois,
Mr. Moulton, Mr. Brendan F. Boyle of Pennsylvania, Mr. Byrne, Ms.
Stefanik, Mr. Cooper, Mr. Ashford, Mr. Kind, Mr. Moolenaar, Mr. Messer,
Mr. Huffman, Mr. Walz, Mr. Vargas, Mr. Peters, Mr. Costa, Mr. Issa, Mr.
Denham, Mr. Thornberry, Mr. Bishop of Utah, Mr. Griffith, Mr. Bost, Mr.
Renacci, Mr. Stivers, Mr. Kinzinger of Illinois, Mr. Dold, Mr. Curbelo
of Florida, Mr. Rooney of Florida, Mr. Young of Iowa, Mr. Coffman, Mr.
Gibson, Mr. Rouzer, Mr. Yoder, Mr. Reed, Mr. Valadao, Mr. Clawson of
Florida, Mr. Hultgren, and Mr. Roskam) submitted the following
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Establishing a Joint Committee on the Organization of Congress.
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMITTEE.
(a) Establishment and Membership.--There is established an ad hoc
Joint Committee on the Organization of the Congress (referred to as the
``Committee'') to be composed of--
(1) 12 members of the Senate--
(A) 6 to be appointed by the majority leader; and
(B) 6 to be appointed by the minority leader; and
(2) 12 members of the House of Representatives--
(A) 6 to be appointed by the Speaker; and
(B) 6 to be appointed by the minority leader.
(b) Ex Officio Members.--The majority leader and the minority
leader of the Senate and the majority leader and the minority leader of
the House of Representatives shall be ex officio, voting members of the
Committee, but shall not be counted for the purpose of ascertaining the
presence of a quorum of the Committee.
(c) Organization of Committee.--(1) A chairman from each House
shall be designated from among the members of the Committee by the
majority leader of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
Representatives.
(2) A vice chairman from each House shall be designated from among
the members of the Committee by the minority leader of the Senate and
the minority leader of the House of Representatives.
(3) The Committee may establish subcommittees comprised of only
members from one House, who may consider only matters related solely to
that House.
(4)(A) No recommendation shall be made by the Committee except upon
a majority vote of the members representing each House, respectively.
(B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), any recommendation with
respect to the rules and procedures of one House which only affects
matters related solely to that House may only be made and voted on by
the members of the committee from that House, and upon its adoption by
a majority of such members shall be considered to have been adopted by
the full Committee as a recommendation of the Committee. Once such
recommendation is adopted, the full Committee may vote to make an
interim or final report containing any such recommendation.
SEC. 2. STUDY OF ORGANIZATION AND OPERATION OF THE CONGRESS.
(a) In General.--The Committee shall make a full and complete study
of the organization, operations, functions, and relevant interactions
of the Members of Congress and make recommendations that serve the
following objectives:
(1) Making the operations and the organization of the
Congress more effective and more efficient.
(2) Making the Congress and its members more accountable to
the citizens they serve.
(3) Improving the relationships between the Houses of
Congress.
(4) Improving the relationships between and among other
branches of the Government, particularly relative to the
congressional oversight of those branches.
(5) Improving the orderly, timely, and effective
consideration and disposal of legislation.
(6) Improving the relationships among both elected Members
of the Congress and the staff of those Members, particularly
relating to relationships between the minority and majority
Members.
(7) Improving the relationship between members and the
citizens they serve, especially in the opportunities citizens
have to participate in the process of governing.
(b) Additional Matter To Be Studied.--The Committee shall also
include in its study the role of the standing, select, and special
committees and their effectiveness in addressing legislative
responsibilities, particularly those involving the authorization of
Federal programs and agencies and the future fiscal impact of
entitlement programs.
SEC. 3. AUTHORITY AND EMPLOYMENT AND COMPENSATION OF STAFF.
(a) Authority of Committee.--The Committee or any of its
subcommittees may--
(1) sit and act at such places and times as the Committee,
or any duly authorized subcommittee thereof, determines are
appropriate during the sessions, recesses, and adjourned
periods of Congress; and
(2) require the attendance of witnesses and the production
of books, papers, and documents, administer oaths, take
testimony, and procure printing and binding.
(b) Appointment and Compensation of Staff.--(1) The Committee may
appoint and fix the compensation of such experts, consultants,
technicians, and clerical personnel as it deems necessary, but shall
utilize existing staff to the extent possible. Staff shall be
compensated and reimbursed in accordance with current rules, statutes,
practices, and procedures under which congressional staff are currently
compensated and reimbursed for their official expenses.
(2) The Committee may utilize such voluntary and uncompensated
services as it deems necessary and may utilize the services,
information, facilities, and personnel of other agencies of the
legislative branch.
(c) Witnesses.--Witnesses requested to appear before the Committee
shall be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and other necessary
expenses incurred in traveling to and from Committee proceedings.
(d) Expenses.--There shall be paid out of the applicable accounts
of the House of Representatives such sums as may be necessary for one-
half of the expenses of the Committee. Such payments shall be made on
vouchers signed by the chairman or vice chairman of the Committee who
is a Member of the House of Representatives, as the case may be, and
approved in the manner directed by the Committee on House
Administration of the House of Representatives. Amounts made available
under this paragraph shall be expended in accordance with regulations
prescribed by the Committee on House Administration of the House of
Representatives.
SEC. 4. COMMITTEE REPORT.
The Committee shall report its findings to the House of
Representatives and the Senate not later than the conclusion of each
session of Congress during which the Committee is authorized. The
report at the conclusion of each session shall include recommendations
of the Committee for its continuation or designation of a similar
entity to continue the pursuit of improvements in the congressional
process.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Rules.
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