From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Refer / Referral Muddy Waters – Champagne & Reefer Refer: Assignment of a measure to committee Once introduced in the House or Senate, or passed by one chamber and sent to the other, most measures are referred to committee. Referral to committee occurs … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Congressional Ethics Panel Hits Rangel With 13 Ethics Charges A member of Congress works in an environment with numerous ethical rules, and with constraints on official, political, and personal activities. These limits exist in laws, regulations, chamber rules, interpretations, and practices. The expectations … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Precedents of the House of Representatives / Cannon’s / Deschler’s / Hinds’ / House Practice House Parliamentarian discusses congressional precedent and rules with Foxx Precedent: Previous ruling by a presiding officer that becomes part of the procedures of a chamber. Each chamber of … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Standing Committee Committees permanently established by House and Senate rules. House Rule X and Senate Rule XXV list the jurisdiction of each committee. The standing committees are legislative committees. Legislation may be referred to them and they may report bills and resolutions to their parent … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Calendar Wednesday On Wednesdays in the House, committees may be called in the order in which they appear in Rule X of the House, for the purpose of bringing up any of their bills for either the House or the Union Calendar, except bills that … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Report / Reported Report / Reported: Formal submission of a measure by a committee to its parent chamber. Both a verb and a noun as a congressional term. A committee that has been examining a bill referred to it by the parent chamber “reports” its … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Chairman / Chair / Chairwoman The presiding officer of a committee or subcommittee. In the Senate, chairmanship is based on seniority of committee tenure, but a senator may not chair more than one standing committee. Traditionally, the majority party member with the greatest seniority on … Read more