Adopting the Rules of the House of Representatives for the One Hundred Nineteenth Congress, and for other purposes.
Latest Action
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Official Summary
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, including providing 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 include authorizing 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.
GovScope Watchdog™
AI Government Intelligence™This House resolution (H.Res. 5) establishes the rules governing the House of Representatives for the 119th Congress. It largely adopts the rules from the previous Congress with specific modifications, including changes to procedures related to motions to vacate the Speaker's office, limitations on when motions to suspend the rules can be entertained, and prohibitions on waiving the germaneness rule and on considering measures exceeding certain budget impacts. The resolution also authorizes electronic voting in committees, remote appearances by certain witnesses, eliminates the House Office of Diversity and Inclusion and some collective bargaining rights for House employees, and reauthorizes several committees and commissions. It further provides for the consideration of multiple specified House bills.
H.Res. 5 sets the procedural and operational framework for the House of Representatives in the 119th Congress, updating rules and authorizations to guide legislative and administrative activities.
- Modifies rules on motions to vacate the Speaker's office, requiring majority party sponsorship and cosponsorship for privileged status.
- Limits the Speaker's ability to entertain motions to suspend the rules to Mondays through Wednesdays.
- Prohibits waivers of the germaneness rule and consideration of measures exceeding specified long-term budget impacts.
- Authorizes electronic voting in committees and remote appearances by non-executive branch witnesses and their counsel.
- Eliminates the House Office of Diversity and Inclusion and certain collective bargaining rights for House employees.
- Reauthorizes the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition with China, the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, and renames and reauthorizes the House Democracy Assistance Commission as the House Democracy Partnership.
['Members of the House of Representatives, particularly majority party members who gain procedural advantages.', 'House committees and leadership through updated procedural rules and electronic voting capabilities.', 'Certain House commissions and committees through reauthorization and renaming.', 'Non-executive branch witnesses and their counsel via authorization for remote appearances.']
['Elimination of the House Office of Diversity and Inclusion may affect diversity-related initiatives and oversight within the House.', "Removal of certain collective bargaining rights could impact House employees' labor relations and workplace protections.", 'Restrictions on motions to vacate the Speaker and suspensions of rules may affect legislative flexibility and minority party influence.', 'Prohibiting consideration of measures exceeding specified budget impacts could limit legislative options on costly initiatives.']
This resolution is a standard procedural measure adopted at the start of a new Congress to establish the rules and operational framework for the House of Representatives. It builds on the previous Congress's rules with specific changes reflecting the priorities and decisions of the current House majority. The resolution also includes reauthorizations of existing committees and commissions and sets the agenda for consideration of certain House bills.
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["Limiting motions to vacate the Speaker's office to majority party sponsors with cosponsors may reduce frequency of leadership challenges.", 'Authorizing electronic voting and remote witness appearances could increase efficiency and accessibility in committee proceedings.', 'Eliminating the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and reducing collective bargaining rights may impact employee morale and institutional culture.', 'Prohibiting waiver of the germaneness rule may lead to more focused legislative debate but could limit amendment flexibility.']
The resolution includes significant procedural changes affecting House operations, employee rights, and committee functions. Transparency considerations include monitoring the impact of eliminating the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and changes to collective bargaining rights on House workforce diversity and labor relations. The budget impact restrictions introduce a new procedural constraint that could affect legislative priorities and should be tracked for effects on fiscal policymaking. The resolution's adoption of electronic voting and remote witness participation reflects modernization efforts that warrant oversight to ensure security and fairness.
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