Consistent with this grant of power, most committees have adopted in their own rules subpoena provisions containing procedures for exercising this power. Committee rules may cover authorization, issuance, and service of subpoenas; may cover just one or two of these actions; or may be silent on exercise of the subpoena power. A subpoena must be authorized pursuant to committee rules—a decision to approve this legal order to a person to appear or to provide documents. Once authorized, if the committee wishes to take the next step, a subpoena must be issued pursuant to committee rules—signed and given to an individual to deliver the subpoena to the person named in it. To deliver a subpoena to the person named is to serve the subpoena. Most House and Senate committees have specifically included in their rules one or more provisions on committees' and subcommittees' power to authorize subpoenas by majority vote. Most House committees have also delegated to their chair the power to authorize subpoenas. Many of these rules delegating authority also require the chair to consult or notify the committee's ranking minority member. Most Senate committees' subpoena rules delegate to the chair and ranking minority member together the power to authorize subpoenas. In addition to rules on authorizing subpoenas, the rules of most committees in both chambers also address issuing subpoenas. Most House committees' rules delegate authority to issue subpoenas to the chair, and allow another committee member who has been designated by the committee to sign a subpoena. What constraints are placed on a chair's exercise of subpoena authority delegated to the chair? House Rules on Subpoenas

Rule XI, clause 2(m)(1) and (3) authorizes committees and subcommittees to issue subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents. Most committees' rules have also delegated authority to issue subpoenas to their chair, but many committees with such a rule also require the chair to consult or notify the ranking minority member. Some committees' rules are not explicit on procedures for subcommittees to authorize subpoenas. Senate Rules on Subpoenas

Senate committees and subcommittees are authorized to subpoena witnesses and documents (Rule XXVI, paragraph 1). The Ethics Committee has rules in addition that
by a recorded vote of no fewer than four members, may prohibit committee members and staff and outside counsel from publicly identifying a subpoenaed witness prior to the day of the witness's appearance, except as authorized by the chair and vice chair acting together; allow the respondent in an adjudicatory hearing to "apply to the Committee" for the subpoena of witnesses and documents in the individual's behalf; allow a subpoenaed witness to request, subject to the committee's approval, not to be photographed at a hearing or to have the witness's testimony broadcast or reproduced while testifying; require a subpoena to be served sufficiently in advance of a scheduled appearance to provide the witness with "a reasonable period of time" to prepare and to obtain counsel; and permit service of a subpoena by any person 18 years of age or older designated by the chair or vice chair. Committees' other procedural rules affect scheduling and conducting meetings to authorize a subpoena. These other rules deal with the notice for and agenda of a meeting, the quorum to conduct business, voting, and consideration.
House Rule XI, clause 2(m)(1) and (3) authorizes House committees and subcommittees to issue subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents. Senate Rule XXVI, paragraph 1 authorizes Senate committees and subcommittees to subpoena witnesses and documents. In turn, most House and Senate committees have adopted in their own rules subpoena provisions containing procedures for exercising this grant of power from their parent chamber.
Committee rules may cover authorization, issuance, and service of subpoenas; may cover just one or two of these actions; or may be silent on exercise of the subpoena power. A subpoena must be authorized pursuant to committee rules—a decision to approve this legal order to a person to appear or to provide documents. Once authorized, if the committee wishes to take the next step, a subpoena must be issued pursuant to committee rules—signed and given to an individual to deliver the subpoena to the person named in it. To deliver a subpoena to the person named is to serve the subpoena.
Most House and Senate committees have specifically included in their rules one or more provisions on committees' and subcommittees' power to authorize subpoenas by majority vote. Most House committees have also delegated to their chair the power to authorize subpoenas. Many of these rules delegating authority also require the chair to consult or notify the committee's ranking minority member.
Most Senate committees' subpoena rules delegate to the chair and ranking minority member together the power to authorize subpoenas.
In addition to rules on authorizing subpoenas, the rules of most committees in both chambers also address issuing subpoenas. Most House committees' rules delegate authority to issue subpoenas to the chair, and allow another committee member who has been designated by the committee to sign a subpoena. Most Senate committees' rules delegate authority to issue subpoenas to the chair, and allow another committee member designated by the chair to sign a subpoena.
Some committees' rules are explicit on procedures for subcommittees to authorize subpoenas; other committees' rules are not explicit.
Committees in both chambers have other rules on subpoenas than the prevailing approach in one chamber. Requirements or limitations pertaining to subpoenas may appear in committees' rules, such as conditions placed on a chair's exercise of subpoena authority delegated to the chair or on a ranking minority member's role in authorizing a subpoena. The distinctions among committees' subpoena rules are varied and nuanced.
Committees' other procedural rules affect scheduling and conducting meetings to authorize a subpoena. These other rules may deal with the notice for and agenda of a meeting, the quorum to conduct business, and voting.