TheSenate Committee on Rules and Administration, also called theSenate Rules and Administration Committee, is responsible for the rules of theUnited States Senate, administration of congressional buildings, and with credentials and qualifications of members of the Senate, including responsibility for contested elections. The committee is not as powerful as its House counterpart, theHouse Committee on Rules, as it does not set the terms of debate for individual legislative proposals, since the Senate has a tradition of open debate. Some members of the committee are alsoex officio members of theJoint Committee on the Library and theJoint Committee on Printing.
In accordance of Rule XXV of the United States Senate, all proposed legislation, messages, petitions, memorials, and other matters relating primarily to the following subjects is referred to the Senate Rules Committee:
Administration of the Senate Office Buildings and the Senate wing of the Capitol, including the assignment of office space;
Congressional organization relative to rules and procedures, and Senate rules and regulations, including floor and gallery rules;
Corrupt practices;
Credentials and qualifications of Members of the Senate, contested elections, and acceptance of incompatible offices;
Federal elections generally, including the election of the President, Vice President, and Members of the Congress;
Nominations to fill a vacancy in the Vice Presidency;
Government Printing Office, and the printing and correction of the Congressional Record, as well as those matters provided for under rule XI;
Meetings of the Congress and attendance of Members;
Payment of money out of the contingent fund of the Senate or creating a charge upon the same (except that any resolution relating to substantive matter within the jurisdiction of any other standing committee of the Senate shall be first referred to such committee);
Presidential succession;
Purchase of books and manuscripts and erection of monuments to the memory of individuals;
Senate Library and statuary, art, and pictures in the Capitol and Senate Office Buildings;
Services to the Senate, including the Senate restaurant; and,
United States Capitol and congressional office buildings, the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution (and the incorporation of similar institutions), and the Botanic Gardens.[1]
The Senate Rules Committee is also charged:
To make a continuing study of the organization and operation of the Congress of the United States and shall recommend improvements in such organization and operation with a view toward strengthening the Congress, simplifying its operations, improving its relationships with other branches of the United States Government, and enabling it better to meet its responsibilities under the Constitution of the United States;
To identify any court proceeding or action which, in the opinion of the Committee, is of vital interest to the Congress as a constitutionally established institution of the Federal Government and call such proceeding or action to the attention of the Senate; and,
To develop, implement, and update as necessary a strategic planning process and a strategic plan for the functional and technical infrastructure support of the Senate and provide oversight over plans developed by Senate officers and others in accordance with the strategic planning process.[2]
^abcdAt the beginning of the 107th Congress in January 2001 the Senate was evenly divided. With a Democratic president and vice president still serving until January 20, the vice president was available to break ties, and the Democrats thus controlled the Senate for 17 days, from January 3 to January 20. On January 3 the Senate adoptedS.Res. 7, designating Democratic senators as committee chairs to serve during this period and Republican chairs to serve effective at noon on January 20, 2001.
^abOn June 6, 2001, the Democrats took control of the Senate afterJim Jeffords switched from the Republican Party to Independent and announced that he would caucus with the Democrats.
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