Committee Rules
COMMITTEE RESOLUTION NO. 1 — Resolved, That the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, adopt the select committee rules for the 118th Congress, which are stated in the copy distributed to each Member.
February 28, 2023
SELECT COMMITTEE ON STRATEGIC COMPETITION BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY
C O N T E N T S
RULES OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE
(a) Applicability of House Rules. The provisions of H. Res. 11 (118th Cong.), which established the Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (“Select Committee” or “Committee”), are hereby incorporated by reference. Nothing herein shall be construed as superseding any provision of that title. The Rules of the House of Representatives shall apply to the Committee to the extent provided by that resolution.
(b) Applicability of Certain Authorities. Pursuant to H. Res. 11 Section 1(c)(3) (118th Cong.), the Committee has the authorities and responsibilities of, and shall be subject to the same limitations and restrictions as, a standing committee of the House, including those authorities and responsibilities delegated to the Committee pursuant to H. Res. 5 Section 3(k) (118th Cong.).
(c) Applicability of Certain Regulations. The regulations issued by the House Committee on Rules of the 118th Congress entitled Regulations for the Remote Participation of Committee Witnesses and Regulations for the Use of Deposition Authority (both attached) are hereby incorporated by reference.
(d) Publication. The Committee rules shall be made publicly available in electronic form and published in the Congressional Record not later than 60 days after the Committee adopts its rules.
(a) Schedule. The Committee’s regular meeting date shall be the first Wednesday of every month that the House is in session. The Chair may call additional meetings as the Chair considers necessary, and may dispense with a regular meeting if, in the judgment of the Chair, there is no need for the meeting.
(b) Presiding. The Chair shall call to order and preside over the meetings of the Committee. In the Chair’s absence, the Chair may designate a member to carry out such duties.
(c) Notice.
(1) The Chair shall provide to each Member the date, place, and subject matter of a Committee meeting. The meeting may not commence earlier than the third calendar day (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays except when the House is in session on such a day) on which members have notice thereof.
(2) To the greatest extent practicable, the Chair shall cause of the text of a report to be made available to the Members at least 24 hours prior to the commencement of a meeting for the purpose of considering such a report. If the report is made available 24 hours in advance of the meeting (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays except when the House is in session on such a day), it shall be considered as read in committee.
(d) Waiver. The requirements of paragraph (c)(1) may be waived by a majority of the Committee present and voting (a majority being present) or by the Chair with the concurrence of the Ranking Member. If the requirements of paragraph (c)(1) are waived, the Chair shall announce such a meeting at the earliest possible time.
(e) Postponement of Votes. The Chair, after consultation with the Ranking Member, may postpone further proceedings when a recorded vote is ordered on the question of approving any measure or matter or adopting an amendment and may resume proceedings on a postponed vote at any time after reasonable notice to members by the Clerk or other designee of the Chair. When proceedings resume on a postponed question, notwithstanding any intervening order for the previous question, an underlying proposition shall remain subject to further debate or amendment to the same extent as when the question was postponed.
(a) Announcement.
(1) Notice. The Chair shall announce the date, time, place, and subject matter of a Committee hearing at least one week prior to the hearing. The hearing may commence sooner if the Chair, with the concurrence of the Ranking Member, determines there is good cause or if the Committee so determines by a majority vote, a quorum being present. The Chair shall announce such a hearing at the earliest possible time.
(2) Witnesses. The Chair shall make available to the public and to members a list of witnesses, including minority witnesses, not later than two business days before the hearing.
(b) Written Witness Statement; Oral Testimony.
(1) Filing of Statement. To the greatest extent practicable, each witness shall file a written statement with the Clerk at least two business days before the witness’s scheduled testimony. The Clerk shall distribute the statement to the members of the Committee as soon as is practicable and not later than the business day before the hearing. For purposes of this subsection, testimony may include the written statement of a witness, as well as any video, photographs, audio-visual matter, posters, or other supporting materials that the witness intends to present or display before the Committee. Such testimony shall be provided in electronic form to the extent practicable.
(2) Witness Opening Statements. Each witness’s oral testimony shall not exceed five minutes unless so permitted by the Chair, after consultation with the Ranking Member.
(3) Publication. Statements filed under this paragraph shall be made publicly available in electronic form not later than one day after the witness appears.
(4) Truth in Testimony. Each witness appearing in a nongovernmental capacity shall include with the written statement of his or her proposed testimony, to the greatest extent practicable:
(A) a curriculum vitae;
(B) a disclosure of any Federal grants or contracts received during the past 36 months by the witness or by an entity represented by the witness and related to the subject matter of the hearing;
(C) a disclosure of any payments or grants from a foreign government, foreign political party, or agent thereof within the past 36 months to any entity from which the witness is compensated more than $10,000 a year and related to the subject matter of the hearing;
(D) with respect to a foreign adversary, a disclosure of any payments, grants, or in-kind contributions from any agent of a foreign adversary within the past five years to any entity from which the witness is compensated more than $10,000 a year;
(E) a disclosure of whether the witness is a fiduciary (including, but not limited to, a director, officer, advisor, or resident agent) of any organization or entity that has an interest in the subject matter of a hearing.
The disclosure shall include the amount, country of origin, and entity originating any payment, grant, or in-kind contribution required to be disclosed.
A “foreign adversary” means the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Cuba, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, and the Maduro regime of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
(c) Witness Selection. The minority party members are entitled, upon request to the Chair by the Ranking Member, to call at least one witness selected by the minority members to testify at a hearing. If the Chair selects more than two majority witnesses, the minority party members are entitled, upon request to the Chair by the Ranking Member, to call an additional witness selected by the minority members. Three witness panels are preferred, but in the case of a four-witness panel, at least one witness shall be selected by the Chair with the concurrence of the Ranking Member.
The Chair and the Ranking Member each agree to consult the other with regard to the selection of hearing witnesses.
(d) Opening Statements. The Chair shall deliver an opening statement announcing the subject of the hearing. The Ranking Member may also deliver an opening statement. The Chair may, after consultation with the Ranking Member, allow other members to deliver opening statements. Any member may delegate time allocated for the member’s opening statement to another member. Opening statements shall not exceed five minutes unless so permitted by the Chair, after consultation with the Ranking Member.
(e) Questioning of Witnesses.
(1) Order. To the greatest extent practicable, the Chair shall initiate the right to question witnesses before the Committee, followed by the Ranking Member and all other members thereafter, alternating between majority and minority members. A member may only question a witness when recognized by the Chair for that purpose.
(2) Time Allocated. In general, each member who so desires shall have the opportunity to question witnesses related to the subject matter of the hearing for five (5) minutes.
(3) Extended Questioning. The Chair, after consultation with the Ranking Member, may permit a specified number of members to engage in colloquies, question witnesses, or otherwise discuss or debate matters related to the subject matter of the hearing for longer than five (5) minutes. The time for extended questioning shall be divided equally between the majority and the minority and shall not exceed one hour.
(4) Staff Questioning. The Chair, with the concurrence of the Ranking Member, may permit designated staff members to question witnesses related to the subject matter of the hearing. The time allocated for staff questioning shall be divided equally between the majority and the minority and shall not exceed one hour.
(6) Questions for the Record. Each member may submit to the Chair written questions for the record to be answered by the witnesses who have appeared. Questions shall be submitted not later than one week after a hearing. The Chair shall transmit all such questions to the appropriate witnesses and provide the responses from the witnesses in the hearing record.
(f) Presiding. The Chair shall call to order and preside over hearings or may designate another member to carry out such duties.
(g) Oaths. The Chair shall administer oaths to any witness before the Committee or may designate another member to carry out such duties. Each witness appearing before the Committee shall affirm the following oath:
Do you solemnly swear or affirm, under penalty of law, that the testimony you are about to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?
(h) Claims of Privilege. Claims of common-law privilege made by witnesses in hearings, or by interviewees in investigations or inquiries, are applicable only at the discretion of the Chair, subject to appeal to the Committee.
(a) In General. A majority of the Members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum for the purposes of adopting a committee report under Rule V, or where otherwise required by House Rules.
(b) Testimony and Evidence. For the purpose of taking testimony and receiving evidence, no fewer than two members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.
(c) Other. For the purposes of taking any other action, one-third of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.
(d) No Proxy Voting. Members may not vote by proxy on any measure.
(a) Authority to Issue Committee Reports. The Committee may produce reports pursuant to H. Res. 11 (118th Cong.) Section 1(e).
(b) Procedures. Committee reports shall be issued by majority vote at a Committee meeting convened pursuant to Rule II. The record of such a meeting shall include the total number of votes cast for and against, and the names of those voting for, voting against, and present but not voting on the adoption of the report.
(c) Additional Views. At the time of the approval of a Committee report, any Member may give notice of intent to file supplemental, minority, additional, or dissenting views. If a Member gives such notice, all members of the Committee shall be entitled to no less than two business days to file such views.
(d) Publication. To the extent feasible, the Committee shall make Committee reports available on its website within 30 days of adoption.
The power to authorize and issue subpoenas pursuant to clause 2(m) of House rule XI is hereby delegated to the Chair.
(a) Recorded Votes. Within 48 hours of a recorded vote, the Committee shall publish on its website a record with a description of the measure voted upon, a list of those present at the meeting, and the result of the recorded vote, including the name of each member voting for, voting against, or present but not voting on the measure.
(b) Archived Records. The records of the Committee at the National Archives and Records Administration shall be made available for public use pursuant to the Rules of the House. The Chair shall notify the Ranking Member of any decision to withhold a record otherwise available, and the matter shall be presented to the Committee for a determination on the written request of any member of the Committee.
Meetings and hearings convened pursuant to Rules II and III shall be open to the public, including radio, television, and still photography coverage, unless closed in accordance with clause 2(g) of House rule XI. The audio and video coverage of Committee proceedings permitted under clause 4 of House rule XI shall apply to the Committee.
(a) Appointment. The staff of the Committee shall be appointed as follows:
(1) In General. Except as provided in subsection (2), Committee staff shall be appointed by the Chair, may be removed by the Chair, and shall work under the general supervision and direction of the Chair;
(2) Minority Staff. All staff provided to the minority party members of the Committee shall be appointed by the Ranking Member, and may be removed by the Ranking Member, and shall work under the general supervision and direction of the Ranking Member;
(b) Compensation. The Chair shall fix the compensation of all staff, after consultation with the Ranking Member regarding any minority party staff, within the budget approved for such purposes.
(a) In General. The Chair shall prepare a budget providing amounts for staff, committee travel, hearings, investigations, and other expenses of the Committee.
(b) Minority Expenses. Consistent with clause 9 of House rule X, the Chair shall, after consultation with the Ranking Member, designate an amount budgeted for the Ranking Minority Member for the compensation of the minority staff, travel expenses of minority members and staff, and minority office expenses. All expenses of minority members and staff shall be paid for out of the amount so set aside.
(a) Authorization. The Chair may authorize travel for any member and any staff member of the Committee in connection with activities or subject matters under the general jurisdiction of the Committee. Travel to be reimbursed from funds set aside for the Committee for any member or staff member shall be paid only upon the prior authorization of the Chair.
(b) Requesting Authorization. Before such authorization is granted, the requester shall submitted to the Chair in writing: (1) The purpose of the travel; (2) The dates during which the travel is to occur; (3) The names of the states or countries to be visited and the length of time to be spent in each; (4) An agenda of anticipated activities; and (5) The names of members and staff of the Committee for whom the authorization is sought.
(c) Travel Reports. Within 30 days of completing authorized travel, Members and staff of the Committee shall make a written report to the Chair on any travel they have conducted under this subsection, including a description of their itinerary, expenses, and activities, and of pertinent information gained as a result of such travel.
(d) House Rules. Members and staff of the Committee performing authorized travel on official business shall be governed by applicable laws, resolutions, and regulations of the House and of the Committee on House Administration.
The Chair shall maintain an official Committee website for the purpose of carrying out the official responsibilities of the Committee, including communicating information about the
Committee’s activities. The Ranking Member may maintain a minority website. To the maximum extent feasible, the Committee shall make its publications available in electronic form on the official Committee website maintained by the Chair.
The Chair may establish additional procedures and take such actions as may be necessary to carry out the foregoing rules or to facilitate the effective operation of the Committee to the extent permissible under House Rules.
Technical edits made April 11, 2023