Administration of the House of Representatives: Actions Taken During a New Congress and Following a Majority Change

Administration of the House of Representatives: Actions Taken During a New Congress and Following a Majority Change

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November 26, 2018
Administration of the House of Representatives: Actions Taken
During a New Congress and Following a Majority Change
As seen in Table 1, majority party control in the House of
organization of the chamber soon after the general election
Representatives has switched 10 times since 1910, most
through the first several weeks of a new Congress.
recently in 2011 (beginning of the 112th Congress). The
results of the November 2018 elections have created
Finally, on the first day of a new Congress, many activities
another anticipated switch in the majority party in the
and decisions are required and occur routinely, regardless
House for the 116th Congress beginning in January 2019.
of whether there was a change in party control.
Table 1. Changes in Majority Party Control in the
Adoption of Rules Affecting Administrative Issues
House of Representatives, 1910-2018
The majority party routinely takes up adoption of the rules
Congress (Years)
New Majority
of the House for the new Congress as one of its first
actions. Typically, the package of rules the House adopts is
112th (2011-2012)
Republican
similar to the rules adopted in the previous Congress, with
certain amendments to previous practices and procedures.
110th (2007-2008)
Democratic
104th (1995-1996)
Republican
In addition to rules related to floor and committee
procedures, recent rules changes have also addressed more
84th (1955-1956)
Democratic
administrative or operational changes—for example, related
83rd (1953-1954)
Republican
to use of the Hall of the House, Member records, access to
the floor by staff and former Members, use of electronic
81st (1949-1950)
Democratic
devices on the floor, and document availability (for
80
additional information, see CRS Report RL33610, A
th (1947-1948)
Republican
Retrospective of House Rules Changes Since the 104th
72nd (1931-1933)
Democratica
Congress through the 109th Congress, by Michael L.
Koempel and Judy Schneider, and CRS Report R42395, A
66th (1919-1921)
Republican
Retrospective of House Rules Changes Since the 110th
62nd (1911-1913)
Democratic
Congress, by Michael L. Koempel and Judy Schneider).
Source: U.S. Congress, Joint Committee on Printing, Official
Election of Officers and Appointment of Officials
Congressional Directory, 115th Cong., 2nd sess., S.Pub.115-7
A change in majority party control may result in a change
(Washington: GPO, 2018), p. 570. See also https://history.house.gov/
in some of the officers and other officials of the House, who
Institution/Party-Divisions/Party-Divisions/.
are elected or appointed in accordance with House Rule II
a. A Republican majority was elected to the 72nd Congress. Prior
of the 115th Congress.
to the convening of Congress, several Representatives-elect
died, leaving a Democratic majority to organize the House.
Officers elected by the House currently include the Clerk,
Sergeant at Arms, Chief Administrative Officer, and
During the period between the November elections and
Chaplain. These officers are elected at the beginning of
when the new Congress convenes (at noon on January 3,
each Congress to serve until their successors are chosen. In
unless a different day is designated by law during the
recent practice, the election process has entailed the
preceding Congress, pursuant to the Twentieth Amendment
offering of one resolution containing the majority slate of
to the Constitution), a new incoming House majority lacks
officers. A member of the minority party often then offers
official institutional authority to implement any changes
an amendment to the resolution offering a separate slate of
beyond procedures governing the activities of its
candidates for positions other than the Chaplain.
conference or caucus. Matters relating to chamber rules,
officers, staff, office space, and administrative practices
The Parliamentarian, General Counsel, Legislative Counsel,
remain under the direction of the outgoing majority.
Law Revision Counsel, head of the Office of
Interparliamentary Affairs, and Historian are each
appointed by the Speaker. The inspector general is jointly
While a new incoming majority may lack formal authority
appointed by the Speaker and majority and minority
to undertake administration of the House prior to the formal
leaders. Although some of these positions have been
convening of the chamber, discussions related to a
characterized by the lengthy tenure of the incumbents,
transition may need to occur prior to the formal assumption
others have experienced more frequent turnover; but they
of majority status. Decisions about the transition may be
all serve at the pleasure of their appointing authority.
made at various times, from the first meetings on early
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Administration of the House of Representatives: Actions Taken During a New Congress and Following a Majority Change
Following prior transitions, changes in officers and
Members’ Representational Allowance
appointed officials have at times resulted in changes to the
House staff, supplies, and district office rental costs are
organization of some of these offices as well as areas or
provided through funds appropriated annually and allocated
issues of focus.
to Representatives according to the formulas established
under the Member Representational Allowance (MRA).
Overall House Staffing Levels and Departing Staff
The 2018 MRA is available through January 2, 2019. The
Congressional leadership has long influenced the size of the
incoming Committee on House Administration would be
House workforce. In a new Congress, leaders may provide
responsible for communicating to Members of the 116th
overall direction in the area of staffing—particularly for
Congress their MRA for 2019 (January 3, 2019, through
leadership, committee, and support offices. This directional
January 2, 2020). Travel and staff expenses for Members-
focus may follow a majority transition—for example,
elect attending organizational caucus or conference
overall cuts in internal House budgets were adopted at the
meetings are governed by 2 U.S.C. 29a and 5343.
start of the 112th Congress, when the House agreed to
H.Res. 22—although it may happen at any time.
Member Office Space and Moves
In at least one prior instance when the majority party
Prior to the beginning of a new Congress, the
changed, legislation was considered in December of the
superintendent of House Office Buildings, an employee of
lame duck session to provide severance for certain staff
the Architect, supervises office moves and officiates at the
“separated from employment solely and directly as a result
office lottery under the direction of the House Office
of a change in the party holding the majority of the
Building Commission. Members wishing to move office
membership of the House.” The resolution (H.Res. 1104,
suites, Members displaced due to the Cannon office
renewal, returning Members who served only in a portion
109th Congress) was not agreed to.
of the 115th Congress and required to move for the 116th
Committees Funding and Staffing
Congress, and Members-elect, may participate. The lottery
While committee funding and staffing levels are considered
is conducted once per Congress and according to a policy
early in the new Congress, a switch in majority party
first addressed in an act approved in 1908 (2 U.S.C. 2004).
The House Office Building Commission has periodically
control may bring additional changes.
issued updates to the regulations. Current regulations
Under House Rule X, clause 7, committees have interim
require departing Members to vacate their offices by
funding authority through March 31 of the first session of a
December 1 following the election. They also state that any
new Congress. During the interim period following a
Member elected to a vacant seat will temporarily occupy
the predecessor’s of
change in party control, the payment of committee expenses
fice until the next regular lottery.
is approved “by the ranking member of the committee as it
Certain costs associated with voluntary office moves are
was constituted at the expiration of the preceding Congress
charged to individual 2018 MRA accounts.
who is a member of the majority party in the present
Other Administrative Considerations
Congress” (clause 7(e)). Early in the new session, the
House considers an omnibus committee funding resolution
Prior incoming majorities have also considered House
reported from the Committee on House Administration
policies and actions related to technology and
establishing funding levels for committees for each session
cybersecurity; transparency initiatives; the organization of
support offices; the House schedule for the year (e.g.,
of Congress.
weekly meetings and recesses); and House-wide contracts.
Although the details have varied over time, the principle of
The change in majority will also change the membership of
a two-third, one-third split between majority and minority
internal entities like the House Office Building Commission
funding and staffing on committees dates to the Legislative
and the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group.
Reorganization Act of 1970. The fair treatment of the
Assignment and Administration of Other
minority is also addressed in House Rule X, clauses 6 and
House Office Space
9, and it has been discussed during committee funding
Decisions made during prior transitions have affected the
request hearings in recent Congresses.
assignment and use of space on the House side of the
Prior transitions also have resulted in changes to, for
Capitol (e.g., room locations for leadership, committees,
example, authorization and oversight plans and office
and support offices; smoking policies; the provision of
transfers between the incoming majority and minority.
various convenience services; etc.).
For Additional Information
House Rules VII and XI govern the preservation of
committee records, in paper and electronic form, and the
 House Transition Website: https://transition.house.gov/
transfer of any noncurrent committee records to the Clerk

of the House for transfer to the National Archives and
CRS Report RL34553, Closing a Congressional Office:
Records Administration. While these rules are long-
Overview of House and Senate Practices, by R. Eric
standing, they may bear particular importance when
Petersen
committee leadership changes.
Ida A. Brudnick, Specialist on the Congress
Jennifer E. Manning, Senior Research Librarian
IF11028
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Administration of the House of Representatives: Actions Taken During a New Congress and Following a Majority Change

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