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Pr
epared for Members and Committees of Congress

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ouse rules and statutes detail several substantive requirements for items to be included in
reports accompanying bills reported from committees, as noted in the following table.
H For example, most committee reports explain a bill’s purpose and the need for the
legislation, its cost, the committee votes on amendments and the measure itself, the position of
the executive branch, and the specific changes the bill would make in existing law. Not all
requirements are applicable to all committees or in all circumstances. There is also no prescribed
order for inclusion of these items in the report, although custom has dictated certain common
approaches, such as placing at the end of a report the notations of specific changes in law and
additional views.
Table 1. House Commit ee Reports: Required Contents
House Rule
Requirement
Applies To
Rule XIII, clause 3(b)
Statement of committee action
Rollcall vote to report bill or resolution of public
on all rollcall votes
character and on any amendment offered in
committee
Rule XIII, clause 3(c)(1)
Statement of committee
Measure approved; all committees except the
oversight findings and
Committees on Appropriations and Budget
recommendations
Rule XIII, clause 3(c)(2),
Statement on new budget
Bill or resolution (except continuing
and Section 308(a)(1) of the authority and related items
appropriations) providing new budget authority,
Congressional Budget Act
new spending authority, new credit authority, or
of 1974
an increase or decrease in revenues or tax
expenditures
Rule XIII, clause 3(c)(3),
Statement of CBO cost estimate Bill or resolution of a public character; all
and Section 402 of the
and comparison, if submitted in a committees except the Committee on
Congressional Budget Act
timely fashion
Appropriations
of 1974
Rule XIII, clause 3(c)(4)
Statement of general
Measure approved
performance goals and
objectives, include outcome-
related goals and objectives
Rule XIII, clause 3(d)(1)
Statement of constitutional
Bill or joint resolution of a public character
authority of Congress to enact
Rule XIII, clause 3(a)(1)(A) Supplemental, minority, or
Measure or matter approved; all committees
additional views, if submitted in
except the Committee on Rules
writing and signed, and filed
within 2 calendar days
Rule XIII, clause 3(a)(1)(B) Recital on cover of report to
Reports that include CBO cost estimate and
show inclusion of certain material comparison, oversight findings, and supplemental,
minority, or additional views
Rule XIII, clause 3(e)
Changes in existing law
Bill or joint resolution that repeals or amends
(“Ramseyer rule”)
existing law
Rule XIII, clause 3(d)(2)
Statement of committee cost
Bill or resolution of a public character;
estimate
Committees on Appropriations, House
Administration, Rules, and Standards of Official
Conduct are exempt; requirement does not apply
if CBO cost estimate is in report
Rule XIII, clause 3(h)
Statement of macroeconomic
Committee on Ways and Means; can be waived,
impact of a measure amending
or chair of Ways and Means Committee can
the tax code
insert the analysis in the Congressional Record
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House Rule
Requirement
Applies To
prior to the measure being considered on the
floor
Rule XXI, clause 9
List of congressional earmarks,
Bill, joint resolution, amendment, and conference
limited tax benefits, limited tariff report of a public character; list can be included
benefits, and name of requesting in the bill
Member
Federal Advisory
Determination with respect to
Legislation establishing or authorizing
Committee Act (5 U.S.C.
new advisory committee
establishment of an advisory committee
App.), Section 5(b)
Congressional
Applicability to legislative branch Bill or joint resolution relating to terms and
Accountability Act, P.L.
or statement of why not
conditions of employment or access to public
104-1, Section 102(b)(3)
applicable
services or accommodations
Unfunded Mandates
Statement of federal mandates
Bill or resolution of a public character
Reform Act, P.L. 104-4;
Section 423 of
Congressional Budget Act
of 1974

ȱȱȱ

Judy Schneider

Specialist on the Congress
jschneider@crs.loc.gov, 7-8664

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