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House Committees: Categories and Rules for Committee Assignments

Description: Both House and party rules detail procedures for committee assignments. House rules address the election and membership of committees, especially limitations on membership. The Democratic Caucus and Republican Conference rules designate categories of committees (shown below) and specify service limitations in addition to those in the House rules.
Date: March 20, 2008
Creator: Schneider, Judy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Congressional Overrides of Presidential Vetoes

Description: The President’s veto is effective not only in preventing the passage of legislation undesirable to the President, but also as a threat, sometimes forcing Congress to modify legislation before it is presented to the President. However, as a veto threat is carried out, Congress is faced with choices: letting the veto stand, the difficult task of overriding the veto, meeting the President’s objections and sending a new bill forward, or resubmitting the same provisions under a new bill number.
Date: November 4, 2000
Creator: Galemore, Gary L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Conference Reports and Joint Explanatory Statements

Description: The conference report presents the formal legislative language on which the conference committee has agreed. The joint explanatory statement explains the various elements of the conferees’ agreement in relation to the positions that the House and Senate had committed to the conference committee.
Date: January 24, 2001
Creator: Bach, Stanley
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Casework in a Congressional Office

Description: This report and its appendices present a general overview of congressional office procedures associated with handling casework and the assistance provided by a Member of Congress to help constituents in their dealings with federal agencies. It discusses options for assisting Members’ constituents and the role of Members and staff in providing casework services.
Date: July 12, 2001
Creator: Pontius, John S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Electronic Congress: Proposals and Issues

Description: The events of September 11, 2001, and the subsequent anthrax incidents have prompted some observers to suggest creating a capability for a virtual or electronic Congress (e-Congress) that could function in the event of an emergency. Currently, it is unclear exactly how an e-Congress would be constituted and operated; however, a proposal (H.R. 3481) has been introduced to require the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to investigate the feasibility and costs of implementing a … more
Date: July 2, 2002
Creator: Seifert, Jeffrey W. & Petersen, R. Eric
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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House Standing Committee Chairs: Rules Governing Selection Procedures

Description: This report mainly discusses about the Rules Governing Selection Procedures on House Standing Committee Chairs. House rules,republican conference rules,Democratic caucus rules each detail aspect of the procedures followed in selecting standing committee chairs.
Date: March 5, 2002
Creator: Schneider, Judy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Budget Enforcement Procedures: Senate Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) Rule

Description: The Senate “pay-as-you-go,” or PAYGO, rule generally requires that any legislation increasing direct spending or reducing revenues be offset. A motion to waive the rule requires an affirmative vote of three-fifths of the membership (i.e., 60 Senators if no seats are vacant). Beginning in 1993, six points of order under the PAYGO rule have been raised against an entire bill or an amendment. Of these six points of order, four were sustained and two fell upon the adoption of a waiver motion.
Date: September 23, 2002
Creator: Heniff, Bill, Jr.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Budget Enforcement Procedures: Senate Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) Rule

Description: The Senate “pay-as-you-go,” or PAYGO, rule generally requires that any legislation increasing direct spending or reducing revenues be offset. A motion to waive the rule requires an affirmative vote of three-fifths of the membership (i.e., 60 Senators if no seats are vacant). Beginning in 1993, six points of order under the PAYGO rule have been raised against an entire bill or an amendment. Of these six points of order, four were sustained and two fell upon the adoption of a waiver motion.
Date: October 22, 2002
Creator: Heniff, Bill, Jr.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Evolution of the Senate's Role in the Nomination and Confirmation Process: A Brief History

Description: Over time, the Senate has developed a series of procedures to deal with the concerns of its Members on nominations. First is the custom of senatorial courtesy, whereby Senators from the same party as the President might influence a nomination or kill it by objecting to it. This tradition has not always been absolute, but it has allowed Senators to play a fairly large role, particularly in the selection of nominees within a Senator’s home state, such as for district court judgeships.
Date: June 5, 2003
Creator: Palmer, Betsy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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A Guide to Major Congressional and Presidential Awards

Description: This report is designed to help congressional offices obtain information about major awards given by Congress and the President. It lists details about the establishment, criteria, selection process, and presentation of each of the major presidential and congressional awards: Congressional Award, Congressional Gold Medal, Medal of Honor, Presidential Citizens Medal, and Presidential Medal of Freedom. Brief entries are provided for additional awards made by the President including two new milita… more
Date: June 13, 2003
Creator: Salazar, Barbara A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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A Guide to Major Congressional and Presidential Awards

Description: This report is designed to help congressional offices obtain information about major awards given by Congress and the President. It lists details about the establishment, criteria, selection process, and presentation of each of the major presidential and congressional awards: Congressional Award, Congressional Gold Medal, Medal of Honor, Presidential Citizens Medal, and Presidential Medal of Freedom. Brief entries are provided for additional awards made by the President including two new milita… more
Date: December 16, 2003
Creator: Salazar, Barbara A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Constitutionality of a Senate Filibuster of a Judicial Nomination

Description: This report provides an overview of the major issues which have been raised recently in the Senate regarding the Judicial Nominations, Filibusters, and the Constitution: When a Majority Is Denied Its Right to Consent and in the press concerning the constitutionality of a Senate filibuster (i.e., extended debate) of a judicial nomination.
Date: December 6, 2004
Creator: Shampansky, Jay R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Evolution of the Senate's Role in the Nomination and Confirmation Process: A Brief History

Description: Over time, the Senate has developed a series of procedures to deal with the concerns of its Members on nominations. First is the custom of senatorial courtesy, whereby Senators from the same party as the President might influence a nomination or kill it by objecting to it. This tradition has not always been absolute, but it has allowed Senators to play a fairly large role, particularly in the selection of nominees within a Senator’s home state, such as for district court judgeships.
Date: March 29, 2005
Creator: Palmer, Betsy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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