House Committee on Rules

House Committee on Rules
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Name	House Committee on Rules
Type	standing
Chamber	House of Representatives
Formed	1789
Jurisdiction	Legislative procedure, floor rules, scheduling

House Committee on Rules

The House Committee on Rules is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives that controls the terms of debate and amendment for legislation considered on the House floor. Originating in the First Congress, the committee has shaped policy outcomes through the use of special procedures and calendars that affect the passage of major measures such as the United States Constitution-era statutes, Social Security Act, and Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Its authority intersects with other powerful bodies including the House Majority Leader (United States), the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and party campaign organizations like the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and National Republican Congressional Committee.

History

The committee traces its antecedents to informal arrangements in the First Congress and to parliamentary precedents from the Parliament of the United Kingdom and colonial assemblies like the Virginia House of Burgesses. Formal establishment occurred as the House professionalized during the 19th century alongside entities such as the Committee on Ways and Means and the House Appropriations Committee. In the early 20th century, clashes over procedure involved figures like Joseph Gurney Cannon and reformers tied to the Progressive Era and the Taft Commission. Mid-century evolution reflected tensions during the New Deal and the rise of leaders such as Sam Rayburn and Tip O'Neill. In recent decades, the committee’s role grew central during high-profile episodes including the debates over the Tax Reform Act of 1986, the Balanced Budget Act, the Impeachment of Bill Clinton, the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act, and the contentious floor management of the Affordable Care Act.

Jurisdiction and Powers

The committee’s statutory remit derives from House rules adopted at the start of each Congress and interacts with precedent established in rulings by Speakers such as Nancy Pelosi and Newt Gingrich. It issues special rules that govern amendments, debate time, and waiver of points of order under provisions like those cited in the Congressional Record and in precedents involving the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct. The Rules Committee can grant closed rules, open rules, structured rules, and self-executing rules, affecting legislation from Defense Appropriations to trade instruments such as the North American Free Trade Agreement implementing bills. It also schedules measures for the floor, placing bills on the Union Calendar or Private Calendar, and shapes consideration of matters like continuing resolutions tied to the Office of Management and Budget and budget reconciliation instructions under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

Membership and Leadership

Membership typically reflects the partisan ratio of the House Republican Conference and the House Democratic Caucus, with a chair from the majority party and a ranking member from the minority party. Prominent chairs have included lawmakers elevated to leadership positions such as Tom DeLay, Curtis figures, and committee leaders who later sought speakerships or committee chairs on panels like Energy and Commerce Committee and Ways and Means Committee. Members often transition between influential panels including the House Appropriations Committee, the House Judiciary Committee, and the House Oversight Committee. Leadership roles on the Rules Committee can be stepping stones toward positions in organizations such as the Caucus for Effective Governance or appointments on interbranch commissions like the Office of Congressional Ethics.

Procedures and Operations

The committee meets under procedures set at the opening of each Congress and follows precedents laid down in manuals such as Jefferson’s Manual and rulings by Speakers including John Boehner and Tip O'Neill. Rules hearings may include testimony from officials from agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Defense, and the Department of the Treasury, as well as from interest groups and scholars associated with institutes like the Brookings Institution and the Heritage Foundation. It drafts special rules that are reported to the House and adopted by majority vote, often coordinating with the House Parliamentarian and staff from the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. The committee also handles privileged motions, special orders, and expedited consideration mechanisms used during crises such as government shutdowns and emergency appropriations tied to events like Hurricane Katrina or the COVID-19 pandemic.

Notable Actions and Controversies

The committee has been central to high-stakes procedural maneuvers, including the use of special rules to limit amendments during major lawmaking episodes like the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and the contentious framing of the Affordable Care Act floor process. Controversies have involved disputes over germane amendment rulings, accusations of partisanship during consideration of impeachment-related measures such as in the Impeachment of Andrew Johnson and the Second impeachment of Donald Trump, and confrontations with reform movements tied to the Reform Caucus and procedural advocates influenced by figures like Paul Ryan. Congressional reform debates often cite the committee’s gatekeeping role in discussions about transparency promoted by organizations such as Common Cause and rulings referenced in the Federal Register and decisions by Speakers documented in the Congressional Record.

Category:Committees of the United States House of Representatives