RULES
OF THE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY
RULE I--MEETINGS
1.1 Regular Meetings.--Regular meetings shall be held on the first and third
Wednesday of each month when Congress
is in session.
1.2 Additional Meetings.--The Chairman, in consultation with the ranking minority
member, may call such additional meetings as he deems necessary.
1.3 Notification.--In the case of any meeting of the committee, other than
a regularly scheduled meeting, the clerk of the committee shall notify every
member of the committee of the time and place of the meeting and shall give
reasonable notice which, except in extraordinary
circumstances, shall be at least 24 hours in advance of any meeting held in
Washington, DC, and at least 48 hours in the case of any meeting held outside
Washington, DC.
1.4 Called Meeting.--If three members of the committee have made a request
in writing to the Chairman to call a meeting of the committee, and the Chairman
fails to call such a meeting within 7 calendar days thereafter, including the
day on which the written notice is submitted, a majority of the members may
call a meeting by filing a written notice with the clerk of the committee who
shall promptly notify each member of the committee in writing of the date and
time of the meeting.
1.5 Adjournment of Meetings.--The Chairman of the committee or a subcommittee
shall be empowered to adjourn any meeting of the committee or a subcommittee
if a quorum is not present within 15 minutes of the time scheduled for such
meeting.
RULE 2--MEETINGS AND HEARINGS IN GENERAL
2.1 Open Sessions.--Business meetings
and hearings held by the committee or any subcommittee shall be open to the
public except as otherwise provided
for in Senate Rule XXVI, paragraph 5.
2.2 Transcripts.--A transcript shall be kept of each business meeting and hearing
of the committee or any subcommittee unless a majority of the committee or
the subcommittee agrees that some other form of permanent record is preferable.
2.3 Reports.--An appropriate opportunity shall be given the Minority to examine
the proposed text of committee reports prior to their filing or publication.
In the event there are supplemental, minority, or additional views, an appropriate
opportunity shall be given the Majority to examine the proposed text prior
to filing or publication.
2.4 Attendance.--(a) Meetings. Official attendance of all markups and executive
sessions of the committee shall be kept by the committee clerk. Official attendance
of all subcommittee markups and executive sessions shall be kept by the subcommittee
clerk.
(b) Hearings. Official attendance of all hearings shall be kept, provided that,
Senators are notified by the committee Chairman and ranking minority member,
in the case of committee hearings, and by the subcommittee Chairman and ranking
minority member, in the case of subcommittee hearings, 48 hours in advance
of the hearing that attendance will be taken. Otherwise, no attendance will
be taken. Attendance at all hearings is encouraged.
RULE 3 --
HEARING PROCEDURES
3.1 Notice.--Public notice shall be given of the date, place, and subject
matter of any hearing to be held by the committee or any subcommittee at
least 1 week in advance of such hearing unless the Chairman of the full
committee or the subcommittee determines that the hearing is noncontroversial
or that
special circumstances require expedited procedures and a majority of
the committee or the subcommittee involved concurs. In no case shall
a hearing
be conducted with less than 24 hours notice.
3.2 Witness Statements.--Each witness who is to appear before the committee
or any subcommittee shall file with the committee or subcommittee, at least
24 hours in advance of the hearing, a written statement of his or her testimony
and as many copies as the Chairman of the committee or subcommittee prescribes.
3.3 Minority Witnesses.--In any hearing conducted by the committee, or
any subcommittee thereof, the minority members of the committee or subcommittee
shall be entitled, upon request to the Chairman by the ranking minority
member
of the committee or subcommittee to call witnesses of their selection during
at least 1 day of such hearing pertaining to the matter or matters heard
by the committee or subcommittee.
3.4 Swearing in of Witnesses.--Witnesses in committee or subcommittee hearings
may be required to give testimony under oath whenever the Chairman or ranking
minority member of the committee or subcommittee deems such to be necessary.
3.5 Limitation.--Each member shall be limited to 5 minutes in the questioning
of any witness until such time as all members who so desire have had an
opportunity to question a witness. Questions from members shall rotate
from majority to
minority members in order of seniority or in order of arrival at the hearing.
RULE 4--NOMINATIONS
4.1 Assignment.--All nominations shall be considered by
the full committee.
4.2 Standards.--In considering a nomination, the committee shall inquire
into the nominee's experience, qualifications, suitability, and integrity
to serve
in the position to which he or she has been nominated.
4.3 Information.--Each nominee shall submit in response to questions
prepared by the committee the following information:
(1) A detailed biographical resume which contains information relating
to
education, employment, and achievements;
(2) Financial information, including a financial statement which lists
assets and
liabilities of the nominee; and
(3) Copies of other relevant documents requested by the committee. Information
received pursuant to this subsection shall be available for public inspection
except as specifically designated confidential by the committee.
4.4 Hearings.--The committee shall conduct a public hearing during which
the nominee shall be called to testify under oath on all matters relating
to his
or her suitability for office. No hearing shall be held until at least
48 hours after the nominee has responded to a prehearing questionnaire
submitted by the committee.
4.5 Action on Confirmation.--A business meeting to consider a nomination
shall not occur on the same day that the hearing on the nominee is held.
The Chairman,
with the agreement of
the ranking minority member, may waive this requirement.
RULE 5--QUORUMS
5.1 Testimony--For the purpose of receiving evidence, the swearing
of witnesses, and the taking of sworn or unsworn testimony at any duly
scheduled hearing,
a quorum of the committee and the subcommittee thereof shall consist
of one member.
5.2 Business.--A quorum for the transaction of committee or subcommittee
business, other than for reporting a measure or recommendation to the
Senate or the taking
of testimony, shall consist of one-third of the members of the committee
or subcommittee, including at least one member from each party.
5.3 Reporting.--A majority of the membership of the committee shall constitute
a quorum for reporting bills, nominations, matters, or recommendations
to the Senate. No measure or recommendation shall be ordered reported from
the committee
unless a majority of the committee members are physically present. The
vote of the committee to report a measure or matter shall require the concurrence
of a majority of those members who are physically present at the time the
vote
is taken.
RULE 6--VOTING
6.1 Rollcalls.--A roll call vote of the members shall be taken
upon the request of any member.
6.2 Proxies.--Voting by proxy as authorized by the Senate rules for specific
bills or subjects shall be allowed whenever a quorum of the committee is
actually present.
6.3 Polling.--The committee may poll any matters of committee business,
other than a vote on reporting to the Senate any measures, matters or recommendations
or a vote on closing a meeting or hearing to the public, provided that
every
member is polled and every poll consists of the following two questions:
(1) Do you agree or disagree to poll the proposal; and
(2) Do you favor or oppose the proposal.
If any member requests, any matter to be polled shall be held for meeting
rather than being polled. The chief clerk of the committee shall keep a
record of
all polls.
RULE 7--SUBCOMMITTEES
7.1 Assignments.--To assure the equitable assignment
of members to subcommittees, no member of the committee will receive
assignment to a second subcommittee
until, in order of seniority, all members of the committee have chosen
assignments to one subcommittee, and no member shall receive assignment
to a third subcommittee
until, in order of seniority, all members have chosen assignments to
two subcommittees.
7.2 Attendance.--Any member of the committee may sit with any subcommittee
during a hearing or meeting but shall not have the authority to vote on
any matter before the subcommittee unless he or she is a member of such
subcommittee.
7.3 Ex Officio Members.--The Chairman and ranking minority member shall
serve as nonvoting ex officio members of the subcommittees on which they
do not serve
as voting members. The Chairman and ranking minority member may not be
counted toward a quorum.
7.4 Scheduling.--No subcommittee may schedule a meeting or hearing at a
time designated for a hearing or meeting of the full committee. No more
than one
subcommittee business meeting may be held at the same time.
7.5 Discharge.--Should a subcommittee fail to report back to the full committee
on any measure within a reasonable time, the Chairman may withdraw the
measure from such subcommittee and report that fact to the full committee
for further
disposition. The full committee may at any time, by majority vote of those
members present, discharge a subcommittee from further consideration of
a specific piece of legislation.
7.6 Application of Committee Rules to Subcommittees.--The proceedings of
each subcommittee shall be governed by the rules of the full committee,
subject
to such authorizations
or limitations as the committee may from time to time prescribe.
RULE 8--INVESTIGATIONS, SUBPOENAS AND DEPOSITIONS
8.1 Investigations.--Any investigation
undertaken by the committee or a subcommittee in which depositions are
taken or subpoenas issued, must be
authorized by a majority of the members of the committee voting for
approval to conduct such investigation at a business meeting of the committee
convened in accordance with Rule 1.
8.2 Subpoenas.--The Chairman, with the approval of the ranking minority
member of the committee, is delegated the authority to subpoena the
attendance of
witnesses or the production of memoranda, documents, records, or any
other materials at a hearing of the committee or a subcommittee or in connection
with the conduct of an investigation authorized in accordance with paragraph
8.1. The Chairman may subpoena attendance or production without the approval
of the ranking minority member when the Chairman has not received notification
from the ranking minority member of disapproval of the subpoena within
72 hours, excluding Saturdays and Sundays, of being notified of the
subpoena.
If a subpoena
is disapproved by the ranking minority member as provided in this paragraph
the subpoena may be authorized by vote of the
members of the committee. When the committee or Chairman authorizes subpoenas,
subpoenas may be issued upon the signature of the Chairman or any other
member of the committee designated by the Chairman.
8.3 Notice for Taking Depositions.--Notices for the taking of depositions,
in an investigation authorized by the committee, shall be authorized
and be issued by the Chairman or by a staff officer designated by him.
Such
notices
shall specify a time and place for examination, and the name of the Senator,
staff officer or officers who will take the deposition. Unless otherwise
specified, the deposition shall be in private. The committee shall not
initiate procedures
leading to criminal or civil enforcement proceedings for a witness' failure
to appear unless the deposition notice was accompanied by a committee subpoena.
8.4
Procedure for Taking Depositions.--Witnesses shall be examined upon oath
administered by an individual authorized by local law to administer
oaths.
The Chairman will rule, by telephone or otherwise, on any objection by
a witness. The transcript of a deposition shall be filed with the committee
clerk.
RULE
9--AMENDING THE RULES
These rules shall become effective upon publication
in the Congressional Record. These rules may be modified, amended, or repealed
by the committee,
provided that all members are present or provide proxies or if a notice
in
writing of the proposed changes has been given to each member at least
48 hours prior to the meeting at which action thereon is to be taken. The
changes
shall become effective immediately upon publication of the changed rule
or rules in the Congressional Record, or immediately upon approval of the
changes
if so resolved by the committee as long as any witnesses who may be affected
by the change in rules are provided with them.