[Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 109th Congress]
[109th Congress]
[House Document 108-241]
[House And Congressional Offices]
[Pages 969-973]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]
[[Page 969]]
EARLY ORGANIZATION OF THE HOUSE
[from the committee reform amendments of 1974, made permanent law in 2
__________
u.s.c. 29a]
Sec. 1126. December caucuses. |
(a)(1) The majority leader or
minority leader of the House of Representatives after consultation with
the Speaker may at any time during any even-numbered year call a caucus
or conference, to begin on or after the first day of December and
conclude on or before the twentieth day of December in such year and to
be attended by all incumbent Members of his or her political party who
have been reelected to the ensuing Congress and all other Members-elect
of such party, for the purpose of taking all steps necessary to achieve
the prompt organization of the Members and Members-elect of such party
for the ensuing Congress.
|
(2) If the majority leader or minority leader calls an organizational
caucus or conference under paragraph (1), he or she shall file with the
Clerk of the House a written notice designating the date upon which the
caucus or conference is to convene. As soon as possible after the
election of Members to the ensuing Congress, the Clerk shall furnish
each Member-elect of the party involved with appropriate written
notification of the caucus or conference.
(3) If a vacancy occurs in the office of majority leader or minority
leader during any even-numbered year (and has not been filled), the
chairman of the caucus or conference of the party involved for the
current Congress may call an organizational caucus or conference under
paragraph (1) by filing written notice thereof as provided by paragraph
(2).
[[Page 970]]
of residence in the district which he or she represents and Washington,
District of Columbia, for the purpose of attending such caucus or
conference. Payment shall be made through the issuance of a
transportation request form to each such Member-elect or incumbent
Member by the Finance Office of the House before such caucus or
conference.
(b)(1)(A) Each Member-elect (other than an incumbent Member reelected
to the ensuing Congress) who attends a caucus or conference called under
subsection (a), and each incumbent Member reelected to the ensuing
Congress who attends any such caucus or conference convening after the
adjournment sine die of the Congress in the year involved, shall be paid
for one round trip between his or her place
(B) Each Member-elect (other than an incumbent Member reelected to the
ensuing Congress) who attends a caucus or conference called under
subsection (a) shall in addition be reimbursed on a per diem or other
basis for expenses incurred in connection with his or her attendance at
such caucus or conference for a period not to exceed the shorter of the
following--
(i) the period beginning with the day before the designated
date upon which such caucus or conference is to convene and
ending with the day after the date of the final adjournment of
such caucus or conference; or
(ii) fourteen days.
(2) Payments and reimbursements to Members-elect under paragraph (1)
shall be made as provided (with respect to Members) in the regulations
prescribed by the Committee on House Administration with respect to
travel and other expenses of committees and Members. Reimbursements
shall be paid on special voucher forms prescribed by the Committee on
House Administration.
(c) The contingent fund of the House is made available to carry out
the purposes of this section.
[from h. res. 10, 94th congress, made permanent law in 2 u.s.c. 29a]
[[Page 971]]
Resolved, That (a) each Member-elect (other than an incumbent Member
reelected to the ensuing Congress) who attends a caucus or conference
called under section 202(a) of House Resolution 988, 93d Congress, and
each incumbent Member reelected to the ensuing Congress who attends any
such caucus or conference convening after the adjournment sine die of
the Congress in the year involved, shall be entitled to designate one
staff person to be paid for one round trip between that person's place
of residence, provided such place of residence is in the district which
the Member-elect or incumbent Member represents, and Washington,
District of Columbia, for the purpose of accompanying that Member-elect
or incumbent Member to such caucus or conference.
(b) Each Member-elect (other than an incumbent Member reelected to the
ensuing Congress) who attends a caucus or conference called under such
section 202(a) shall be entitled to designate one staff person who shall
in addition be reimbursed on a per diem or other basis for expenses
incurred in accompanying the Member-elect at the time of such caucus or
conference for a period not to exceed the shorter of the following--
(i) the period beginning with the day before the designated
date upon which such caucus or conference is to convene and
ending with the day after the date of the final adjournment of
such caucus or conference; or
(ii) fourteen days.
Sec. 2. (a) Payments and reimbursements to staff persons under the
first section of this resolution shall be made as provided (with respect
to staff) in the regulations prescribed by the Committee on House
Administration with respect to travel and other expenses of staff.
Reimbursements shall be paid on special voucher forms prescribed by the
Committee on House Administration.
(b) Additional funds, if any, for staff allowances and office space
for use by Members-elect (other than an incumbent Member reelected to
the ensuing Congress) shall be authorized by the Committee on House
Administration.
[[Page 973]]
In recent practice, the House has adopted resolutions providing for
the convening of an organizational caucus or conference in November
(e.g., H. Res. 666, 106th Cong., Nov. 3, 2000, p. 25993; H. Res. 590,
107th Cong., Oct. 16, 2002, p. ----; H. Res. 824, 108th Cong., Oct. 6,
2004, p. ----).