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Establishing the Task Force on the Legislative Process.

H. Con. Res. 8 · 118th Congress · Jan 11, 2023 · Lineage

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Section 1 Purpose

The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to implement the 131st recommendation of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress, passed by the Select Committee during the 117th Congress, to create a Task Force on the Legislative Process that analyzes the range of legislative processes by which, if adopted by both Houses, each House would provide expedited consideration of legislation that was passed by the other House with wide and bipartisan support.

Sec. 2 Establishment of Task Force

(a)
Establishment; purpose— There is hereby established the Task Force on the Legislative Process (hereafter referred to as the “Task Force”) whose purpose shall be to analyze the range of options for bicameral legislation expedition.
(b)
Definition— In this concurrent resolution, the term bicameral legislation expedition means any legislative process by which each House of Congress jointly provides for expedited consideration of legislation which was passed by the other House by unanimous consent, by voice vote, or with the approval of not fewer than 2/3 of the members voting.

Sec. 3 Membership

(a)
Composition— The Task Force shall be composed of 12 members appointed as follows:
(1)
The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint 3 individuals who are Members of the House of Representatives, of whom at least one shall be a majority member of the Committee on Rules of the House.
(2)
The minority leader of the House shall appoint 3 individuals who are Members of the House of Representatives, of whom at least one shall be a minority member of the Committee on Rules of the House.
(3)
The majority leader of the Senate shall appoint 3 individuals who are Members of the Senate, of whom at least one shall be a majority member of the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate.
(4)
The minority leader of the Senate shall appoint 3 individuals who are Members of the Senate, of whom at least one shall be a minority member of the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate.
(b)
Co-Chairs— The Speaker, minority leader of the House, majority leader of the Senate, and minority leader of the Senate shall jointly select 2 of the members of the Task Force to serve as co-chairs of the Task Force.
(c)
Vacancies— A vacancy in the membership of the Task Force shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
(d)
Inclusion of Delegates and Resident Commissioner— For purposes of this section, a “Member” of the House of Representatives includes a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to the Congress.

Sec. 4 Duties

(a)
Procedures— The Task Force shall establish a process to solicit information, input, and legislative proposals which are directly related to the purpose of the Task Force under section 2.
(b)
Report—
(1)
Contents— The Task Force shall issue a report to the Speaker of the House, the minority leader of the House, the majority leader of the Senate, the minority leader of the Senate, the Committee on Rules of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate, and shall include in the report—
(A)
an analysis of the range of options for bicameral legislation expedition; and
(B)
any recommendations relating to bicameral legislation expedition which are approved by not fewer than 9 of its members.
(2)
Deadline— The Task Force shall issue the report required under paragraph (1) not later than one year after the date of the adoption of this concurrent resolution.
(c)
Use of staff— The Task Force may use the services of staff of the House and Senate to assist it in carrying out its duties.

Sec. 5 Posting of proposals by Committees

Upon receiving the report issued by the Task Force under section 4(b), the Committee on Rules of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate shall each publicly post the report on a public page of its website.

Sec. 6 Termination

(a)
In general— The Task Force shall terminate upon issuing the report required under section 4(b).
(b)
Disposition of records— Upon its termination, the records of the Task Force shall be transferred to, and shall become part of, the records of the Committee on Rules of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate.