The variety as well as consistency in committee rules is analyzed as these rules relate to legislative activities, principally hearings, oversight, and markups. Administrative provisions in House and committee rules are not analyzed in this report. Provisions of committee rules applicable to legislative activities are clustered by topic, rather than by House rule number. Rule XI, clause 2(a)(1) directs each standing committee to adopt "written rules governing its procedure." This paragraph continues: "Such rules … (B) may not be inconsistent with the Rules of the House or with those provisions of law having the force and effect of Rules of the House…." Rule XI, clause 1(a)(1)(A) in addition states: "The Rules of the House are the rules of its committees and subcommittees so far as applicable." Finally, Rule XI, clause 1(a)(1)(B) subordinates subcommittees to the committee of which they are a part: "Each subcommittee is a part of its committee and is subject to the authority and direction of that committee and to its rules, so far as applicable." Rule X contains the legislative and oversight jurisdiction of each standing committee, several clauses on committee procedures and operations, and a clause specifically addressing the jurisdiction and operation of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Rule XII concerns the referral of legislation and other matters. Rule XIII addresses the filing and content of committee reports, and addresses privileged reports, with individual provisions applicable to privileged reports of the Committee on Rules. Among the aspects of committee rules that a committee member or staff member might examine to understand a committee's procedures are the following:
the role and authority of the committee's chair in scheduling meetings, referring legislation to and discharging it from subcommittees, issuing subpoenas, and taking other actions; the role and authority of the ranking minority member, for example, whether the chair may take specific actions without any involvement of the ranking minority member, after "notice" to that member, after "consultation" with that member, or with the "concurrence" of that member; the role and authority of the committee vis-à-vis the chair—whether specific actions by the committee may be taken only "by majority vote"; the role and authority of the minority party, for example, whether the presence of one or more members of the minority party will be required for a quorum for specific business; and the implementation of changes to House rules affecting committees, such as the change in the 112 th Congress (2011-2013), which required committee chairs to make available to committee members and the public at least 24 hours in advance of the markup the text of legislation to be marked up. Within the parameters of House rules, committees in their own rules may grant authority to or withhold it from their subcommittees. (See, below, " Scheduling Subcommittee Hearings and Meetings ," under " Scheduling Committees' Meetings and Hearings .") Committee Referral of Measures or Matters to Subcommittee, House Committee Rules, 114th Congress

 Table 1 compares committee rules in the 114 th Congress across the 21 standing House committees on referring measures or matters to subcommittees. See also, below, " Reports "

	Motions

Three motions specific to committees are authorized in Rule XI. There is not a specific House rule applicable to obtaining a vote in committee.
Rule XI, clause 2(a)(1) directs each standing committee to adopt "written rules governing its procedure." This paragraph continues: "Such rules … (B) may not be inconsistent with the Rules of the House or with those provisions of law having the force and effect of Rules of the House…." Rule XI, clause 1(a)(1)(A) in addition states: "The Rules of the House are the rules of its committees and subcommittees so far as applicable." Finally, Rule XI, clause 1(a)(1)(B) subordinates subcommittees to the committee of which they are a part: "Each subcommittee is a part of its committee and is subject to the authority and direction of that committee and to its rules, so far as applicable."
Many provisions of House rules applicable to committee procedures appear in Rule XI, which also includes procedures specifically applicable to the Committee on Ethics. Rule X contains the legislative and oversight jurisdiction of standing committees, several clauses on committee operations, and a clause specifically addressing the jurisdiction and operation of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Rule XII concerns the referral of legislation and related matters. In addition to calendars, Rule XIII addresses the filing and content of committee reports.
Each House standing committee implements these rules, and select provisions of other House rules, in adopting its rules. Variety as well as consistency in committee rules is analyzed in this report as the rules relate to legislative activities, principally hearings, oversight, and markups. Administrative provisions in House and committee rules are not analyzed. Provisions of committee rules on legislative activities are clustered by topic, rather than by House rule number.
In adopting their rules for the 113th Congress, committees in some instances adopted House rules unchanged, and in other instances adapted House rules to their own needs where they had discretion to do so. Committee rules change incrementally from one Congress to the next, with a committee typically making several amendments to its rules from the preceding Congress. Variations in key committee rules are highlighted in five tables:
referring measures or matters to subcommittees—whether the chair may or must refer legislation to a subcommittee, the time frame within which a decision must be made, and where authority to discharge a subcommittee resides; scheduling hearings and meetings—committees' regular meeting day and time, authority to schedule additional meetings, and authority to cancel meetings; hearings—quorum requirements, extending witness questioning time, and order of questioning witnesses; subpoenas—committee authority, chair authority, ranking minority member authority, and notification to committee members of issuance of a subpoena; and record votes—obtaining a record vote, and postponing further proceedings when a record vote is requested.
See CRS Report RS20794, The Committee System in the U.S. Congress, by [author name scrubbed], for an explanation of the types of committees. See also CRS Report R40233, House Ad Hoc Select Committees with Legislative Authority: An Analysis, by [author name scrubbed]; and CRS Report 96-708, Conference Committee and Related Procedures: An Introduction, by [author name scrubbed].