Tagged: congressional operations and organization

This resolution establishes the House Select Committee on Electoral Reform to examine current methods of electing Members of Congress, consider alternative methods of election, and report appropriate recommendations to Congress and the President.Specifically, the committee must (1) determine how alternative methods of election would affect the responsiveness, accountability, and functionality of Congress; (2) conduct hearings to take testimony and receive evidence from appropriate expert witnesses; and (3) examine federal barriers to state experimentation with alternative electoral systems. The committee must consider alternatives to current methods that include adopting multi-member congressional districts with proportional representation; adjusting the total number of Members of the House of Representatives; adopting alternative methods of voting (e.g., ranked-choice voting); and holding open and nonpartisan primaries.The committee shall be made up of 14 Members of Congress appointed by the Speaker of the House, 7 of whom shall be appointed in consultation with the minority leader. The committee's co-chairs shall be designated by the Speaker and minority leader, respectively. The resolution provides that the committee must hold its first meeting within 30 days after all of its members have been appointed.The committee shall issue its final report to Congress and the President within one year after the committee's first meeting.

This concurrent resolution authorizes Congress to assemble at a place outside Washington, DC, during the 119th Congress if the Speaker of the House and the Senate Majority Leader agree that it is in the public interest. The concurrent resolution provides that the Speaker of the House and the Senate Majority Leader shall act jointly after consultation with the House and Senate Minority Leaders.

Reclaiming Congress’s Constitutional Mandate in Trade ResolutionThis concurrent resolution establishes a process for transferring the functions and responsibilities of the Office of the Trade Representative (USTR) from the executive branch to the legislative branch. The concurrent resolution establishes the Joint Ad Hoc Committee on Trade Responsibilities and the Congressional Advisory Board on Trade Responsibilities to plan for and implement the transfer.The Joint Ad Hoc Committee on Trade Responsibilities shall consist of 14 members of Congress appointed by majority and minority party leaders of the two chambers of Congress and meeting qualifications specified in the bill. The committee shall develop a plan under which the functions and responsibilities of the USTR shall be moved and provide its plan in a report to Congress within 16 months after the committee is appointed. The bill also establishes a 21-member Congressional Advisory Board on Trade Responsibilities responsible for advising the committee in its development of the plan. Individuals meeting qualifications specified in the bill shall be appointed by the Trade Representative and majority and minority party leaders.The concurrent resolution also provides that the USTR shall provide such information and assistance the committee and the advisory board may reasonably require to carry out their activities.The transition of the USTR to the legislative branch occurs four years after the committee submits its report.

People-Centered Assistance Reform Effort Act or the People CARE ActThis bill establishes the People-Centered Assistance Reform Effort Commission within the legislative branch to review federal means-tested programs for potential reform.Under the bill, means-tested programs are those designed to provide assistance to low-income individuals, including, for example, Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. The commission is generally directed to review all federal means-tested programs with the exception of certain specified programs, including Social Security, Medicare, and certain veterans’ benefits programs.The commission is directed to identify and evaluate potential changes to federal means-tested programs, such as consolidation with other programs, delegation of certain functions to states, and the establishment of gradual benefit reductions tied to increases in beneficiaries’ income. The commission is also directed to consider changes that would allow caseworkers to identify all of the appropriate programs for individuals and families. The commission must establish a website through which members of the public may submit suggested reforms for consideration. The commission is to be comprised of eight members, with an equal number of members appointed by the majority and minority parties.  At the conclusion of its term, the commission must report to Congress with its findings and proposed legislation implementing any recommended changes. Congress must consider the legislation under expedited procedures.

House Endeavor to Accelerate a Legislative Transformation of Healthcare Act or the HEALTH ActThis resolution establishes the Committee on Health, a standing committee of the House of Representatives, and specifies the subjects within its jurisdiction. The Committee on Health is responsible for all legislation and other matters relating to biomedical research and development (including the Food and Drug Administration); health, health facilities, and health care supported by general revenues (except veterans’ hospitals, medical care, and treatment); and public health and quarantine (including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). The resolution also removes these topics from the jurisdiction of the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Stay on Schedule (S.O.S.) ResolutionThis resolution prevents the House of Representatives from adjourning in August until it has passed regular appropriations legislation for the fiscal year beginning in October. The resolution specifies that it is out of order for the House to consider a concurrent resolution for its adjournment during any day in August until the House has passed all of the regular appropriations bills.

This resolution provides for the House of Representatives (together with the Senate) to notify the President that a quorum of each chamber of Congress has assembled.

This resolution establishes rules for the House of Representatives for the 119th Congress.The resolution adopts the rules from the 118th Congress with specified changes, includingproviding that a resolution vacating the Office of Speaker is only privileged (takes precedence over all matters other than motions to adjourn) if it is offered by a sponsor of the majority party joined by eight cosponsors from the majority party; providing that the Speaker may only entertain a motion to suspend the rules on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays; prohibiting waiver (by rule or by order) of the germaneness rule (which requires amendments to be of the same subject matter as the measure under consideration); and prohibiting consideration of measures that exceed a specified long-term budget impact according to the Congressional Budget Office.Additional changes includeauthorizing the use of electronic voting within a committee;authorizing remote appearances by non-executive branch witnesses and their counsel in committee proceedings; eliminating the House Office of Diversity and Inclusion; eliminating certain collective bargaining rights for employees of the House of Representatives; reauthorizing the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party; reauthorizing the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission; and reauthorizing the House Democracy Assistance Commission (an entity that advises democratic parliaments in other countries) and renaming it the House Democracy Partnership. The resolution provides for the consideration of H.R. 21, H.R. 22, H.R. 23, H.R. 26, H.R. 27, H.R. 28, H.R. 29, H.R. 30, H.R. 31, H.R. 32, H.R. 33, and H.R. 35.

This concurrent resolution reauthorizes the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies relating to the January 20, 2025, Presidential inauguration. The reauthorization is effective beginning January 3, 2025.The joint committee is authorized to make the necessary arrangements for the inauguration of the President-elect and the Vice President-elect of the United States, including using the Capitol rotunda and Emancipation Hall for such proceedings and ceremonies.The joint committee was established during the 118th Congress and consists of three Senators and three Members of the House of Representatives.

This concurrent resolution establishes the day, time, and manner for counting electoral votes for President and Vice President as January 6, 2025, at 1:00 pm. The concurrent resolution provides that the results of the count shall be delivered to the President of the Senate and entered on the journals of Congress.

This resolution establishes a committee to inform the President that a quorum of each chamber of Congress is assembled and that Congress is ready to receive communications from him.

This resolution directs the Secretary of the Senate to inform the House of Representatives that a quorum of the Senate is assembled and that the Senate is ready to proceed to business.