House 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. 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.
House 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. 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.
|
House Rule |
Requirement |
Applies To |
|
Rule XIII, clause 3(b) |
Statement of committee action on all rollcall votes |
Rollcall vote to report bill or resolution of public character and on any amendment offered in committee |
|
Rule XIII, clause 3(c)(1) |
Statement of committee oversight findings and recommendations |
Measure approved; all committees except the Committees on Appropriations and Budget |
|
Rule XIII, clause 3(c)(2), and Section 308(a)(1) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 |
Statement on new budget authority and related items |
Bill or resolution (except continuing appropriations) providing new budget authority, new spending authority, new credit authority, or an increase or decrease in revenues or tax expenditures |
|
Rule XIII, clause 3(c)(3), and Section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 |
Statement of CBO cost estimate and comparison, if submitted in a timely fashion |
Bill or resolution of a public character; all committees except the Committee on Appropriations |
|
Rule XIII, clause 3(c)(4) |
Statement of general performance goals and objectives, include outcome-related goals and objectives |
Measure approved |
|
Rule XIII, clause 3(a)(1)(A) |
Supplemental, minority, additional, or dissenting views, if submitted in writing and signed, and filed within 2 calendar days |
Measure or matter approved; all committees except the Committee on Rules |
|
Rule XIII, clause 3(a)(1)(B) |
Recital on cover of report to show inclusion of certain material |
Reports that include CBO cost estimate and comparison, oversight findings, and supplemental, minority, or additional views |
|
Rule XIII, clause 3(c) |
Statement estimating the number of directed rule makings required by the measure |
Measure or matter approved |
|
Rule XIII, clause 3(c) |
Statement indicating whether any provision of the measure establishes or reauthorizes a program of the Federal Government known to be duplicative of another Federal program |
Measure or matter approved |
|
Rule XIII, clause 3(e) |
Changes in existing law and adjacent provisions if useful for a clear understand of the intent and effect of the law ("Ramseyer rule") |
Bill or joint resolution that repeals or amends existing law |
|
Rule XIII, clause 3(d)(2) |
Statement of committee cost estimate |
Bill or resolution of a public character; 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 impact of a measure amending the tax code |
Committee on Ways and Means; can be waived, or chair of Ways and Means Committee can insert the analysis in the Congressional Record prior to the measure being considered on the floor |
|
Rule XXI, clause 9 |
List of congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, limited tariff benefits, and name of requesting member |
Bill, joint resolution, amendment, and conference report of a public character; list can be included in the bill |
|
Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.), Section 5(b) |
Determination with respect to new advisory committee |
Legislation establishing or authorizing establishment of an advisory committee |
|
Congressional Accountability Act, P.L. 104-1, Section 102(b)(3) |
Applicability to legislative branch or statement of why not applicable |
Bill or joint resolution relating to terms and conditions of employment or access to public services or accommodations |
|
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, P.L. 104-4; Section 423 of Congressional Budget Act of 1974 |
Statement of federal mandates |
Bill or resolution of a public character |