[Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 104th Congress]
[104th Congress]
[House Document 103-342]
[Rules of the House of Representatives]
[Pages 765-766]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]



 

                              Rule XXXVII.


                          WITHDRAWAL OF PAPERS.



[[Page 766]]

Sec. 933. Custody of papers in the files of the House. No memorial or other paper presented to the House shall be withdrawn from its files without its leave, and if withdrawn therefrom certified copies thereof shall be left in the office of the Clerk; but when an act may pass for the settlement of a claim, the Clerk is authorized to transmit to the officer in charge with the settlement thereof the papers on file in his office relating to such claim, or may loan temporarily to an officer or bureau of the executive departments any papers on file in his office relating to any matter pending before such officer or bureau, taking proper receipt therefor.
This rule was adopted in 1873 and amended in 1880 (V, 7256). It was renumbered January 3, 1953, p. 24. The House usually allows the withdrawal of papers only in cases where there has been no adverse report. As the rules for the order of business give no place to the motion to withdraw, it is made by unanimous consent (V, 7259). The House formerly adopted a privileged resolution at the beginning of each Congress authorizing the Clerk to furnish certified copies of certain types of House papers subpoenaed by courts upon determination of relevancy by the court, but not permitting production of executive session papers or transfer of original papers (Jan. 3, 1973, pp. 30-31). See rule L, infra for current procedure for response to subpoenas for papers of the House.