[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. ----).