Congressional Reform Concepts: House Rules and Procedures

Congressional Reform Concepts
For Consideration By
A Joint Committee on the Congress of Tomorrow

The following recommendations are the result of conversations that have taken place among several groups and are intended to serve as a framework for short-term and long-term change.

Such a framework would be best achieved through the creation of a bipartisan, bicameral Joint Committee on a Modern Congress, patterned after those created during the last Century for a similar purpose.

HOUSE RULES AND PROCEDURES

• Provide in the Rules of the House for restrictions and limitations on the use of closed rules.
  • See “Open House: How the House Can Reinvigorate the Amendment Process”
• Provide in the Rules of the House restrictions on the waiver of rules, requiring an extraordinary majority to do so.
  • See “Should the House Follow Its Own Rules?”
• Provide restrictions on amendments relative to germaneness.
• Allow committees to meet during morning hours without conflict or interruption (BPC proposal)
• Provide that bills be posted three days in advance of their consideration (BPC proposal)

For a complete list of reform concepts, click here.