UNITED
STATES SENATE
COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT
AND PUBLIC WORKS
Jurisdiction
Rule
XXV, Standing
Rules of the
Senate
1. The following
standing committees
shall be appointed
at the commencement
of each to act
until their successors
are appointed,
with leave to
report by bill
or otherwise on
matters within
their respective
jurisdictions:
1. Air pollution.
2. Construction
and maintenance
of highways.
3. Environmental
aspects of Outer
Continental Shelf
lands.
4. Environmental
effects of toxic
substances, other
than pesticides.
5. Environmental
policy.
6. Environmental
research and development.
7. Fisheries and
wildlife.
8. Flood control
and improvements
of rivers and
harbors, including
environmental
aspects of deepwater
ports.
9. Noise pollution.
10. Nonmilitary
environmental
regulation and
control of nuclear
energy.
11. Ocean dumping.
12. Public buildings
and improved grounds
of the United
States generally,including
Federal buildings
in the District
of Columbia.
13. Public works,
bridges, and dams.
14. Regional economic
development.
15. Solid waste
disposal and recycling.
16. Water pollution.
17. Water resources.
(2) Such committee
shall also study
and review, on
a comprehensive
basis, matters
relating to environmental
protection and
resource utilization
and conservation,
and report thereon
from time to time.
Rule
1. Committee Meetings
in General
(a)
Regular Meeting
Days : For purposes
of complying with
paragraph 3 of
Senate Rule XXVI,
the regular meeting
day of the committee
is the first and
third Thursday
of each month
at 10:00 A.M.
If there is no
business before
the committee,
the regular meeting
shall be omitted.
(b)
Additional Meetings
: The chair may
call additional
meetings, after
consulting with
the ranking minority
member. Subcommittee
chairs may call
meetings, with
the concurrence
of the chair,
after consulting
with the ranking
minority members
of the subcommittee
and the committee.
(c)
Presiding Officer
:
(1)
The chair shall
preside at all
meetings of
the committee.
If the chair
is not present,
the ranking
majority member
shall preside.
(2)
Subcommittee
chairs shall
preside at all
meetings of
their subcommittees.
If the subcommittee
chair is not
present, the
ranking majority
member of the
subcommittee
shall preside.
(3)
Notwithstanding
the rule prescribed
by paragraphs
(1) and (2),
any member of
the committee
may preside
at a hearing.
(d)
Open Meetings:
Meetings of the
committee and
subcommittees,
including hearings
and business meetings,
are open to the
public. A portion
of a meeting may
be closed to the
public if the
committee determines
by roll call vote
of a majority
of the members
present that the
matters to be
discussed or the
testimony to be
taken
(1)
will disclose
matters necessary
to be kept secret
in the interests
of national
defense or the
confidential
conduct of the
foreign relations
of the United
States;
(2)
relate solely
to matters of
committee staff
personnel or
internal staff
management or
procedure; or
(3)
constitute any
other grounds
for closure
under paragraph
5(b) of Senate
Rule XXVI.
(e)
Broadcasting:
(1)
Public meetings
of the committee
or a subcommittee
may be televised,
broadcast, or
recorded by
a member of
the Senate press
gallery or an
employee of
the Senate.
(2)
Any member of
the Senate Press
Gallery or employee
of the Senate
wishing to televise,
broadcast, or
record a committee
meeting must
notify the staff
director or
the staff director's
designee by
5:00 p.m. the
day before the
meeting.
(3) During public
meetings, any
person using
a camera, microphone,
or other electronic
equipment may
not position
or use the equipment
in a way that
interferes with
the seating,
vision, or hearing
of committee
members or staff
on the dais,
or with the
orderly process
of the meeting.
Rule
2. Quorums
(a)
Business Meetings:
At committee business
meetings, and
for the purpose
of approving the
issuance of a
subpoena or approving
a committee resolution,
six members, at
least two of whom
are members of
the minority party,
constitute a quorum,
except as provided
in subsection
(d).
(b)
Subcommittee Meetings:
At subcommittee
business meetings,
a majority of
the subcommittee
members, at least
one of whom is
a member of the
minority party,
constitutes a
quorum for conducting
business.
(c)
Continuing Quorum:
Once a quorum
as prescribed
in subsections
(a) and (b) has
been established,
the committee
or subcommittee
may continue to
conduct business.
(d)
Reporting: No
measure or matter
may be reported
to the Senate
by the committee
unless a majority
of committee members
cast votes in
person.
(e)
Hearings: One
member constitutes
a quorum for conducting
a hearing.
Rule
3. Hearings
(a)
Announcements:
Before the committee
or a subcommittee
holds a hearing,
the chair of the
committee or subcommittee
shall make a public
announcement and
provide notice
to members of
the date, place,
time, and subject
matter of the
hearing. The announcement
and notice shall
be issued at least
one week in advance
of the hearing,
unless the chair
of the committee
or subcommittee,
with the concurrence
of the ranking
minority member
of the committee
or subcommittee,
determines that
there is good
cause to provide
a shorter period,
in which event
the announcement
and notice shall
be issued at least
twenty-four hours
in advance of
the hearing.
(b)
Statements of
Witnesses:
(1)
A witness who
is scheduled
to testify at
a hearing of
the committee
or a subcommittee
shall file 100
copies of the
written testimony
at least 48
hours before
the hearing.
If a witness
fails to comply
with this requirement,
the presiding
officer may
preclude the
witness' testimony.
This rule may
be waived for
field hearings,
except for witnesses
from the Federal
Government.
(2)
Any witness
planning to
use at a hearing
any exhibit
such as a chart,
graph, diagram,
photo, map,
slide, or model
must submit
one identical
copy of the
exhibit (or
representation
of the exhibit
in the case
of a model)
and 100 copies
reduced to letter
or legal paper
size at least
48 hours before
the hearing.
Any exhibit
described above
that is not
provided to
the committee
at least 48
hours prior
to the hearing
cannot be used
for purpose
of presenting
testimony to
the committee
and will not
be included
in the hearing
record.
(3)
The presiding
officer at a
hearing may
have a witness
confine the
oral presentation
to a summary
of the written
testimony.
(4)
Notwithstanding
a request that
a document be
embargoed, any
document that
is to be discussed
at a hearing,
including, but
not limited
to, those produced
by the General
Accounting Office,
Congressional
Budget Office,
Congressional
Research Service,
a Federal agency,
an Inspector
General, or
a nongovernmental
entity, shall
be provided
to all members
of the committee
at least 72
hours before
the hearing.
Rule
4. Business Meetings:
Notice and Filing
Requirements
(a) Notice: The
chair of the committee
or the subcommittee
shall provide
notice, the agenda
of business to
be discussed,
and the text of
agenda items to
members of the
committee or subcommittee
at least 72 hours
before a business
meeting. If the
72 hours falls
over a weekend,
all materials
will be provided
by close of business
on Friday.
(b)
Amendments: First-degree
amendments must
be filed with
the chair of the
committee or the
subcommittee at
least 24 hours
before a business
meeting. After
the filing deadline,
the chair shall
promptly distribute
all filed amendments
to the members
of the committee
or subcommittee.
(c)
Modifications:
The chair of the
committee or the
subcommittee may
modify the notice
and filing requirements
to meet special
circumstances,
with the concurrence
of the ranking
member of the
committee or subcommittee.
Rule
5. Business Meetings:
Voting
(a)
Proxy Voting:
(1)
Proxy voting
is allowed on
all measures,
amendments,
resolutions,
or other matters
before the committee
or a subcommittee.
(2)
A member who
is unable to
attend a business
meeting may
submit a proxy
vote on any
matter, in writing,
orally, or through
personal instructions.
(3)
A proxy given
in writing is
valid until
revoked. A proxy
given orally
or by personal
instructions
is valid only
on the day given.
(b)
Subsequent Voting:
Members who were
not present at
a business meeting
and were unable
to cast their
votes by proxy
may record their
votes later, so
long as they do
so that same business
day and their
vote does not
change the outcome.
(c)
Public Announcement:
(1)
Whenever the
committee conducts
a rollcall vote,
the chair shall
announce the
results of the
vote, including
a tabulation
of the votes
cast in favor
and the votes
cast against
the proposition
by each member
of the committee.
(2)
Whenever the
committee reports
any measure
or matter by
rollcall vote,
the report shall
include a tabulation
of the votes
cast in favor
of and the votes
cast in opposition
to the measure
or matter by
each member
of the committee.
Rule
6. Subcommittees
(a)
Regularly Established
Subcommittees:
The committee
has four subcommittees:
Transportation
and Infrastructure;
Clean Air, Climate
Change, and Nuclear
Safety; Fisheries,
Wildlife, and
Water; and Superfund
and Waste Management.
(b)
Membership: The
committee chair,
after consulting
with the ranking
minority member,
shall select members
of the subcommittees.
Rule
7. Statutory Responsibilities
and Other Matters
(a)
Environmental
Impact Statements:
No project or
legislation proposed
by any executive
branch agency
may be approved
or otherwise acted
upon unless the
committee has
received a final
environmental
impact statement
relative to it,
in accordance
with section 102(2)(C)
of the National
Environmental
Policy Act, and
the written comments
of the Administrator
of the Environmental
Protection Agency,
in accordance
with section 309
of the Clean Air
Act. This rule
is not intended
to broaden, narrow,
or otherwise modify
the class of projects
or legislative
proposals for
which environmental
impact statements
are required under
section 102(2)(C).
(b)
Project Approvals:
(1)
Whenever the
committee authorizes
a project under
Public Law 89-298,
the Rivers and
Harbors Act
of 1965; Public
Law 83-566,
the Watershed
Protection and
Flood Prevention
Act; or Public
Law 86-249,
the Public Buildings
Act of 1959,
as amended;
the chairman
shall submit
for printing
in the Congressional
Record, and
the committee
shall publish
periodically
as a committee
print, a report
that describes
the project
and the reasons
for its approval,
together with
any dissenting
or individual
views.
(2)
Proponents of
a committee
resolution shall
submit appropriate
evidence in
favor of the
resolution.
(c)
Building Prospectuses:
(1)
When the General
Services Administration
submits a prospectus,
pursuant to
section 7(a)
of the Public
Buildings Act
of 1959, as
amended, for
construction
(including construction
of buildings
for lease by
the government),
alteration and
repair, or acquisition,
the committee
shall act with
respect to the
prospectus during
the same session
in which the
prospectus is
submitted.
A
prospectus rejected
by majority
vote of the
committee or
not reported
to the Senate
during the session
in which it
was submitted
shall be returned
to the GSA and
must then be
resubmitted
in order to
be considered
by the committee
during the next
session of the
Congress.
(2)
A report of
a building project
survey submitted
by the General
Services Administration
to the committee
under section
11(b) of the
Public Buildings
Act of 1959,
as amended,
may not be considered
by the committee
as being a prospectus
subject to approval
by committee
resolution in
accordance with
section 7(a)
of that Act.
A project described
in the report
may be considered
for committee
action only
if it is submitted
as a prospectus
in accordance
with section
7(a) and is
subject to the
provisions of
paragraph (1)
of this rule.
(d)
Naming Public
Facilities: The committee may not name a
building, structure or facility for any living person, except former
Presidents or former Vice Presidents of the United States, former
Members of Congress over 70 years of age, former Justices of the
United States Supreme Court over 70 years of age, or Federal
judges who are fully retired and over 75 years of age.
Rule
8. Amending the
Rules
The
rules may be added
to, modified,
amended, or suspended
by vote of a majority
of committee members
at a business
meeting if a quorum
is present.
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