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The Subcommittee on Technology and the House

Hearing
on
"To examine Rule X, the Organization of Committees, including its current legislative impact, arrangement, and effectiveness"

TESTIMONY | TRANSCRIPT PART I | TRANSCRIPT PART II

PART I

DATE: June 16, 2004
TIME: 1:00 PM
ROOM: H-313 The Capitol

WITNESSES

  • The Honorable Tom Davis (R-VA), Chairman - Committee on Government Reform
  • The Honorable Henry Waxman (D-CA), Ranking Member - Committee on Government Reform
  • The Honorable Chris Cox (R-CA), Chairman - Select Committee on Homeland Security
  • The Honorable Jim Turner (D-TX), Ranking Member - Select Committee on Homeland Security
  • The Honorable John Boehner (R-OH), Chairman - Committee on Education and the Workforce
  • The Honorable Bill Thomas (R-CA), Chairman - Committee on Ways and Means

 

PART II

DATE: June 17, 2004
TIME: 12:00 PM
ROOM: H-313 The Capitol

 

WITNESSES

  • The Honorable Porter Goss (R-FL), Chairman - Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
  • The Honorable James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Chairman - Committee on the Judiciary
  • The Honorable Don Young (R-AK), Chairman - Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  • The Honorable James Oberstar (D-MN), Ranking Member - Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  • The Honorable Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Chairman - Committee on Agriculture
  • The Honorable Charles Stenholm (D-TX), Ranking Member - Committee on Agriculture
  • The Honorable Joe Barton (R-TX), Chairman - Committee on Energy and Commerce
  • The Honorable John Dingell (D-MI), Ranking Member - Committee on Energy and Commerce
  • The Honorable Don Manzullo (R-IL), Chairman - Committee on Small Business

 

The Purpose of the Hearing

The purpose of these hearings is to examine the current legislative impact of Rule X, the Organization of Committees, by soliciting testimony from committees on their oversight agenda and legislative activities. The Subcommittee will welcome views from committee Chairmen and Ranking Minority Members on all areas of committee activity, the practical function of Rule X in a modern House, thoughts on the effectiveness of the current Rule X arrangement, and suggestions on any other rules changes. These hearings will also provide an opportunity to present views about how current jurisdiction of committees could be strengthened. The Chairmen and Ranking Minority Members of committees will have the opportunity to highlight their overall activity in their respective areas of committee jurisdiction and also to outline their committee's plans for the remainder of the year and for the start of the 109th Congress.

BACKGROUND

In each Congress, the Committee on Rules holds original jurisdiction hearings to solicit ideas from Members on proposed changes to rules of the House. In the 108th Congress, the Committee plans to continue this practice by expanding on this oversight function by examining Rule X.

House Rule X broadly delineates the jurisdiction of each standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. The majority of Rule X was drawn from 19th and 20th century precedents and codified in the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946. Although the rule underwent modest revisions in 1974 and 1980, as well as more extensive changes in the 104th Congress, the rule itself remains the creation of a time when most public policies were not as complicated as they are currently. Questions about the omission of certain subject matters and issue overlap among different committees continue to exist. The formal provisions of Rule X are supplemented by a number of precedents and informal agreements among committees governing the referral of legislation.

For the House Committee on Rules, Rule X assigns the task of supervising the rules, joint rules and the order of business of the House of Representatives. It is the responsibility of the Committee on Rules to focus its oversight on the configuration of the jurisdiction and mission of each committee to ensure that the House reflects contemporary times.

The House cannot legislate judiciously without gathering valuable information through oversight hearings. These hearings, and the contributions of the committee Chairmen and Ranking Members to them, will help to ensure that the Rule X arrangement continues to permit House committees to most effectively review and study the application, administration, and execution of all laws within their legislative jurisdiction.