COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS RULES OF PROCEDURE
Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, the Committee on Veterans' Affairs has
adopted rules governing its procedures for the 110th Congress. Pursuant
to rule XXVI, paragraph 2, of the Standing Rules of the Senate, on
behalf of myself and Senator Craig, I ask unanimous consent that a copy
of the committee rules be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
Rules of Procedure 109th Congress
I. MEETINGS
(a) Unless otherwise ordered, the Committee shall meet on
the first Wednesday of each month. The Chairman may, upon
proper notice, call such additional meetings as deemed
necessary.
(b) Except as provided in subparagraphs (b) and (d) of
paragraph 5 of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate,
meetings of the Committee shall be open to the public. The
Committee shall prepare and keep a complete transcript or
electronic recording adequate to fully record the proceedings
of each meeting whether or not such meeting or any part
thereof is closed to the public.
(c) The Chairman of the Committee, or the Ranking Majority
Member present in the absence of the Chairman, or such other
Member as the Chairman may designate, shall preside at all
meetings.
(d) Except as provided in rule XXVI of the Standing Rules
of the Senate, no meeting of the Committee shall be scheduled
except by majority vote of the Committee or by authorization
of the Chairman of the Committee.
(e) The Committee shall notify the office designated by the
Committee on Rules and Administration of the time, place, and
purpose of each meeting. In the event such meeting is
canceled, the Committee shall immediately notify such
designated office.
(f) Written or electronic notice of a Committee meeting,
accompanied by an agenda enumerating the items of business to
be considered, shall be sent to all Committee member at least
72 hours (not counting Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal
holidays) in advance of each meeting. In the event that the
giving of such 72-hour notice is prevented by unforeseen
requirements or Committee business, the Committee staff shall
communicate notice by the quickest appropriate means to
members or appropriate staff assistants of Members and an
agenda shall be furnished prior to the meeting.
(g) Subject to the second sentence of this paragraph, it
shall not be in order for the Committee to consider any
amendment in the first degree proposed to any measure under
consideration by the Committee unless a written or electronic
copy of such amendment has been delivered to each member of
the Committee at least 24 hours before the meeting at which
the amendment is to be proposed. This paragraph may be waived
by a majority vote of the members and shall apply only when
72-hour written notice has been provided in accordance with
paragraph (f).
II. QUORUMS
(a) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (b), eight
members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum for the
reporting or approving of any measure or matter or
recommendation. Five members of the Committee shall
constitute a quorum for purposes of transacting any other
business.
(b) In order to transact any business at a Committee
meeting, at least one member of the minority shall be
present. If, at any meeting, business cannot be transacted
because of the absence of such a member, the matter shall lay
over for a calendar day. If the presence of a minority member
is not then obtained, business may be transacted by the
appropriate quorum.
(c) One member shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of
receiving testimony.
III. VOTING
(a) Votes may be cast by proxy. A proxy shall be written
and may be conditioned by personal instructions. A proxy
shall be valid only for the day given.
(b) There shall be a complete record kept of all Committee
action. Such record shall contain the vote cast by each
member of the Committee on any question on which a roll call
vote is requested.
IV. HEARINGS AND HEARING PROCEDURES
(a) Except as specifically otherwise provided, the rules
governing meetings shall govern hearings.
(b) At least 1 week in advance of the date of any hearing,
the Committee shall undertake, consistent with the provisions
of paragraph 4 of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the
Senate, to make public announcements of the date, place,
time, and subject matter of such hearing.
(c) The Committee shall require each witness who is
scheduled to testify at any hearing to file 40 copies of such
witness' testimony with the Committee not later than 48 hours
prior to the witness' scheduled appearance unless the
Chairman and Ranking Minority Member determine there is good
cause for failure to do so.
(d) The presiding member at any hearing is authorized to
limit the time allotted to each witness appearing before the
Committee.
(e) The Chairman, with the concurrence of the Ranking
Minority Member of the Committee, is authorized to subpoena
the attendance of witnesses and the production of memoranda,
documents, records, and any other materials. If the Chairman
or a Committee staff member designated by the Chairman has
not received from the Ranking Minority Member or a Committee
staff member designated by the Ranking Minority Member notice
of the Ranking Minority Member's nonconcurrence in the
subpoena within 48 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and
Federal holidays) of being notified of the Chairman's
intention to subpoena attendance or production, the Chairman
is authorized following the end of the 48-hour period
involved to subpoena the same without the Ranking Minority
Member's concurrence. Regardless of whether a subpoena has
been concurred in by the Ranking Minority Member, such
subpoena may be authorized by vote of the Members of the
Committee. When the Committee or Chairman authorizes a
subpoena, the subpoena may be issued upon the signature of
the Chairman or of any other member of the Committee
designated by the Chairman.
(f) Except as specified in Committee Rule VII (requiring
oaths, under certain circumstances, at hearings to confirm
Presidential nominations), witnesses at hearings
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will be required to give testimony under oath whenever the
presiding member deems such to be advisable.
V. MEDIA COVERAGE
Any Committee meeting or hearing which is open to the
public may be covered by television, radio, and print media.
Photographers, reporters, and crew members using mechanical
recording, filming or broadcasting devices shall position and
use their equipment so as not to interfere with the seating,
vision, or hearing of the Committee members or staff or with
the orderly conduct of the meeting or hearing. The presiding
member of the meeting or hearing may for good cause
terminate, in whole or in part, the use of such mechanical
devices or take such other action as the circumstances and
the orderly conduct of the meeting or hearing may warrant.
VI. GENERAL
All applicable requirements of the Standing Rules of the
Senate shall govern the Committee.
VII. PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATIONS
(a) Each Presidential nominee whose nomination is subject
to Senate confirmation and referred to this Committee shall
submit a statement of his or her background and financial
interests, including the financial interests of his or her
spouse and of children living in the nominee's household, on
a form approved by the Committee which shall be sworn to as
to its completeness and accuracy. The Committee form shall be
in two parts--
(A) information concerning employment, education, and
background of the nominee which generally relates to the
position to which the individual is nominated, and which is
to be made public; and
(B) information concerning the financial and other
background of the nominee, to be made public when the
Committee determines that such information bears directly on
the nominee's qualifications to hold the position to which
the individual is nominated.
Committee action on a nomination, including hearings or a
meeting to consider a motion to recommend confirmation, shall
not be initiated until at least five days after the nominee
submits the form required by this rule unless the Chairman,
with the concurrence of the Ranking Minority Member, waives
this waiting period.
(b) At any hearing to confine a Presidential nomination,
the testimony of the nominee and, at the request of any
Member, any other witness shall be under oath.
VIII. NAMING OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FACILITIES
It is the policy of the Committee that no Department of
Veterans Affairs facility shall be named after any individual
unless--
(A) such individual is deceased and was--
(1) a veteran who (i) was instrumental in the construction
or the operation of the facility to be named, or
(ii) was a recipient of the Medal of Honor or, as
determined by the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member,
otherwise performed military service of an extraordinarily
distinguished character;
(2) a member of the United States House of Representatives
or Senate who had a direct association with such facility;
(3) an Administrator of Veterans' Affairs, a Secretary of
Veterans Affairs, a Secretary of Defense or of a service
branch, or a military or other Federal civilian official of
comparable or higher rank; or
(4) an individual who, as determined by the Chairman and
Ranking Minority Member, performed outstanding service for
veterans;
(B) each member of the Congressional delegation
representing the State in which the designated facility is
located has indicated in writing such member's support of the
proposal to name such facility after such individual; and
(C) the pertinent State department or chapter of each
Congressionally chartered veterans' organization having a
national membership of at least 500,000 has indicated in
writing its support of such proposal.
IX. AMENDMENTS TO THE RULES
The rules of the Committee may be changed, modified,
amended, or suspended at any time, provided, however, that no
less than a majority of the entire membership so determine at
a regular meeting with due notice, or at a meeting
specifically called for that purpose. The rules governing
quorums for reporting legislative matters shall govern rules
changes, modification, amendments, or suspension.
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