Rules of The House of Representatives of The United States
RULE IV: THE HALL OF THE HOUSE
Use and admittance
1. The Hall of the House shall be used
only for the legislative business of the
House and for caucus and conference
meetings of its Members, except when
the House agrees to take part in any
ceremonies to be observed therein. The
Speaker may not entertain a motion
for the suspension of this clause.
2. (a) Only the following persons shall be admitted to the Hall of the House or rooms leading thereto:
(1) Members of Congress, Members-elect, and contestants in election cases during the pendency of their cases on the floor.
(2) The Delegates and the Resident Commissioner.
(3) The President and Vice President of the United States and their private secretaries.
(4) Justices of the Supreme Court.
(5) Elected officers and minority employees nominated as elected officers of the House.
(6) The Parliamentarian.
(7) Staff of committees when business from their committee is under consideration, and staff of the respective party leaderships when so assigned with the approval of the Speaker.
(8) Not more than one person from the staff of a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner when that Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner has an amendment under consideration (subject to clause 5).
(9) The Architect of the Capitol.
(10) The Librarian of Congress and the assistant in charge of the Law Library.
(11) The Secretary and Sergeant-at- Arms of the Senate.
(12) Heads of departments.
(13) Foreign ministers.
(14) Governors of States.
(15) Former Members, Delegates, and Resident Commissioners; former Parliamentarians of the House; and former elected officers and minority employees nominated as elected officers of the House (subject to clause 4).
(16) One attorney to accompany a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner who is the respondent in an investigation undertaken by the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct when a recommendation of that committee is under consideration in the House.
(17) Such persons as have, by name, received the thanks of Congress.
(b) The Speaker may not entertain a unanimous consent request or a motion to suspend this clause.
3. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), all persons not entitled to the privilege of the floor during the session shall be excluded at all times from the Hall of the House and the cloakrooms.
(b) Until 15 minutes of the hour of the meeting of the House, persons employed in its service, accredited members of the press entitled to admission to the press gallery, and other persons on request of a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner by card or in writing, may be admitted to the Hall of the House.
4. (a) A former Member, Delegate, or
Resident Commissioner; a former Parliamentarian
of the House; or a former
elected officer of the House or former
minority employee nominated as an
elected officer of the House shall not be
entitled to the privilege of admission
to the Hall of the House and rooms
leading thereto if he or she-
(1) is a registered lobbyist or agent
of a foreign principal as those terms
are defined in clause 5 of rule XXV;
(2) has any direct personal or pecuniary
interest in any legislative
measure pending before the House or
reported by a committee; or
(3) is in the employ of or represents
any party or organization for the
purpose of influencing, directly or indirectly,
the passage, defeat, or
amendment of any legislative proposal.
(b) The Speaker may promulgate regulations
that exempt ceremonial or
educational functions from the restrictions
of this clause.
5. A person from the staff of a Member,
Delegate, or Resident Commissioner
may be admitted to the Hall of
the House or rooms leading thereto
under clause 2 only upon prior notice
to the Speaker. Such persons, and persons
from the staff of committees admitted
under clause 2, may not engage
in efforts in the Hall of the House or
rooms leading thereto to influence
Members with regard to the legislation
being amended. Such persons shall remain
at the desk and are admitted only
to advise the Member, Delegate, Resident
Commissioner, or committee responsible
for their admission. A person
who violates this clause may be excluded
during the session from the Hall
of the House and rooms leading thereto
by the Speaker.
Gallery
6. (a) The Speaker shall set aside a
portion of the west gallery for the use
of the President, the members of the
Cabinet, justices of the Supreme Court,
foreign ministers and suites, and the
members of their respective families.
The Speaker shall set aside another
portion of the same gallery for the accommodation
of persons to be admitted
on the cards of Members, Delegates, or
the Resident Commissioner.
(b) The Speaker shall set aside the
southerly half of the east gallery for
the use of the families of Members of
Congress. The Speaker shall control
one bench. On the request of a Member,
Delegate, Resident Commissioner, or
Senator, the Speaker shall issue a card
of admission to his family, which may
include their visitors. No other person
shall be admitted to this section.
Prohibition on campaign contributions
7. A Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House, or any other person entitled to admission to the Hall of the House or rooms leading thereto by this rule, may not knowingly distribute a political campaign contribution in the Hall of the House or rooms leading thereto.
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