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Earmark Reform: Comparison of New House and Senate Procedural Rules

Description: This report describes and compares the new House and Senate procedures, including an additional House requirement regarding the use of earmarks as leverage for votes.
Date: April 24, 2008
Creator: Streeter, Sandy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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"Fast Track" Procedures to Disapprove Additional Funds Under the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act

Description: This report examines the procedures of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA, Division A of H.R. 1424, P.L. 110-343) and explains how they differ from the regular parliamentary mechanisms of the House and Senate. It also estimates certain deadlines under the act based on the recent submission of the President's report.
Date: January 15, 2009
Creator: Davis, Christopher M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Electing the Speaker of the House of Representatives: Frequently Asked Questions

Description: This report briefly poses and answers several "frequently asked questions" in relation to the floor proceedings used to elect a Speaker of the House. Current practice for electing a Speaker, either at the start of a Congress or in the event of a vacancy, is by roll-call vote, during which Members state aloud the name of their preferred candidate.
Date: October 23, 2015
Creator: Heitshusen, Valerie
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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"Fast Track" Parliamentary Procedures of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act

Description: This report examines the procedures of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (Division A of H.R. 1424, P.L. 110-343) and explains how they differ from the regular parliamentary mechanisms of the House and Senate. It will be updated as needed.
Date: November 14, 2008
Creator: Davis, Christopher M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Discharge Rule in the House: Principal Features and Uses

Description: This report discusses the "discharge rule" of the House of Representatives, which allows a measure to come to the floor for consideration, even if the committee of referral does not report it and the leadership does not schedule it. The rule permits either (1) the committee of referral to be discharged from the measure itself; or (2) the Committee on Rules to be discharged from a special rule for considering the measure.
Date: January 30, 2003
Creator: Beth, Richard S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2015

Description: This report briefly describes current responsibilities and selection mechanisms for 15 House and Senate party leadership posts and provides tables with historical data, including service dates, party affiliation, and other information for each.
Date: October 30, 2015
Creator: Heitshusen, Valerie
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Office of the House of Representatives Inspector General

Description: This report discusses the Office of the House of Representatives Inspector General, which conducts audits of the financial and administrative functions of House officers and joint entities. The report includes government-wide standards for Inspectors General with regards to the distribution of audit results.
Date: January 14, 2009
Creator: Straus, Jacob R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Social Security Administration: Workloads, Resources, and Service Delivery

Description: This report provides an overview of SSA's workloads, resources, and service delivery since FY1996, the first full fiscal year in which SSA became an independent agency. It also covers issues for Congress, focusing on recommendations made by the independent SSAB, Government Accountability Office, SSA's Office of the Inspector General, and the National Research Council.
Date: February 6, 2009
Creator: Romig, Kathleen
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Salaries of Members of Congress: Recent Actions and Historical Tables

Description: This report contains information on the pay procedure and recent adjustments. It also contains historical information on the rate of pay for Members of Congress since 1789; the adjustments projected by the Ethics Reform Act as compared to actual adjustments in Member pay; details on past legislation enacted with language prohibiting the annual pay adjustment; and Member pay in constant and current dollars since 1992.
Date: January 4, 2012
Creator: Brudnick, Ida A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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House Committee on Ethics: A Brief History of Its Evolution and Jurisdiction

Description: This report briefly outlines the background of ethics enforcement in the House of Representatives, including the creation of both the Select Committee on Ethics and the Committee on Ethics. The report also focuses on various jurisdictional and procedural changes that the committee has experienced since 1967 and discusses the committee's current jurisdiction and procedures.
Date: March 8, 2011
Creator: Straus, Jacob R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Energy Policy: Comprehensive Energy Legislation (H.R. 6, S. 10) in the 109th Congress

Description: Conferees on H.R. 6, the Energy Policy Act of 2005, began meeting July 14, 2005, and are predicting that the conference will be completed July 25. The Senate passed its version of the bill June 28, and the House passed its version April 21. The Senate and House bills are similar, but major differences exist, including the following areas: ethanol and methyl tertiary-butyl ether, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, electricity restructuring, renewable energy, climate change, tax provisions, outer c… more
Date: July 22, 2005
Creator: Bamberger, Robert L. & Behrens, Carl E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Energy Policy: Comprehensive Energy Legislation (H.R. 6, S. 10) in the 109th Congress

Description: Conferees on H.R. 6, the Energy Policy Act of 2005, began meeting July 14, 2005, and are predicting that the conference will be completed July 25. The Senate passed its version of the bill June 28, and the House passed its version April 21. The Senate and House bills are similar, but major differences exist, including the following areas: ethanol and methyl tertiary-butyl ether, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, electricity restructuring, renewable energy, climate change, tax provisions, outer c… more
Date: June 24, 2005
Creator: Bamberger, Robert L. & Behrens, Carl E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Energy Policy: Comprehensive Energy Legislation (H.R. 6, S. 10) in the 109th Congress

Description: Conferees on H.R. 6, the Energy Policy Act of 2005, began meeting July 14, 2005, and are predicting that the conference will be completed July 25. The Senate passed its version of the bill June 28, and the House passed its version April 21. The Senate and House bills are similar, but major differences exist, including the following areas: ethanol and methyl tertiary-butyl ether, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, electricity restructuring, renewable energy, climate change, tax provisions, outer c… more
Date: July 22, 2005
Creator: Bamberger, Robert L. & Behrens, Carl E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Energy Policy: Comprehensive Energy Legislation (H.R. 6, S. 10) in the 109th Congress

Description: Conferees on H.R. 6, the Energy Policy Act of 2005, began meeting July 14, 2005, and are predicting that the conference will be completed July 25. The Senate passed its version of the bill June 28, and the House passed its version April 21. The Senate and House bills are similar, but major differences exist, including the following areas: ethanol and methyl tertiary-butyl ether, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, electricity restructuring, renewable energy, climate change, tax provisions, outer c… more
Date: June 24, 2005
Creator: Bamberger, Robert L. & Behrens, Carl E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Pairing in Congressional Voting: The House

Description: This report discusses the practice of "pairing" for votes in the House of Representatives. Under certain procedural circumstances, a Member who is absent during a vote on the House floor may arrange with a Member on the opposite side of a specific question (who will be present) to announce that the Member who is present is forming a "pair" with the absent Member, thus allowing the absent Member to have his intended vote recorded.
Date: August 25, 2015
Creator: Davis, Christopher M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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How Measures Are Brought to the Senate Floor: A Brief Introduction

Description: This report discusses the two basic methods that are used by the Senate to bring legislation to the floor for consideration: The Senate, at the majority leader's request, (1) grants unanimous consent to take up a matter, or (2) agrees to his motion to proceed to consider it. Both methods are derived from the basic premise that the Senate as a body may decide what matters it considers. The Senate may also use the same two methods to bring up executive business (nominations and treaties).
Date: August 5, 2015
Creator: Davis, Christopher M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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House Committee Hearings: Arranging Witnesses

Description: This report briefly discusses the selection of witnesses for House committee hearings. House committees and subcommittees pay careful attention to which viewpoints will be represented, who should testify, and the order and format for presenting witnesses. Witnesses do not have an inherent right to appear at a hearing but must be invited by a committee or subcommittee in order to testify; committees and subcommittees may also subpoena reluctant witnesses to appear at a hearing.
Date: August 25, 2015
Creator: Davis, Christopher M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Amendments in the Senate: Types and Forms

Description: This report briefly describes the various types of amendments that take place in the Senate. It has sections describing distinctions among amendments, degrees of amendments, forms of amendments, and the scope of amendments.
Date: August 25, 2015
Creator: Davis, Christopher M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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House Committee Hearings: Scheduling and Notification

Description: This report briefly discusses scheduling and notification requirements, and practices for House committee hearings.
Date: August 25, 2015
Creator: Davis, Christopher M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Delegates to the U.S. Congress: History and Current Status

Description: This report provides historical background on the development of the position of delegate to Congress and on the rights of a delegate once seated. Delegates, representing territories that had not yet achieved statehood, have served in the House since the late 1700s. In the 20th century, the concept of delegate grew to include representation of territories where the United States exercises some degree of control but were not expected to become states.
Date: August 25, 2015
Creator: Davis, Christopher M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Calendars of the House of Representatives

Description: This report describes the use of "calendars" in the House of Representatives, referring to (1) lists of measures and motions eligible for consideration and (2) documents that contain the eligible motions and information about the status of legislation.
Date: August 25, 2015
Creator: Davis, Christopher M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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House Committee Hearings: Preparation

Description: This report contains a checklist that identifies many of the tasks that need to be performed for committee hearings. Committee hearings provide Representatives an opportunity to gather information on, and draw attention to, legislation and issues within a committee's purview; conduct oversight of programs or agencies; and investigate allegations of mismanagement or wrongdoing.
Date: August 25, 2015
Creator: Davis, Christopher M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Immigration Legislation and Issues in the 112th Congress

Description: This report discusses immigration-related issues that have received legislative action or are of significant congressional interest in the 112th Congress.
Date: January 12, 2012
Creator: Bruno, Andorra
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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