The Committee on Rules is likely to issue an amendment deadline prior to our return from the August district work period for consideration of the remaining eight appropriations bills. The remaining bills reported by the Committee on Appropriations include: Agriculture; Commerce Justice, Science; Financial Services and General Governmental; Homeland Security; Interior; Labor, HHS, and Education; State and Foreign Operations; Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development—all of which can be found on their website.
Due to the potential high number of amendments, I strongly encourage you to review the texts of the remaining eight bills ASAP so you can begin to identify priorities that will inform amendment drafting once the text of the consolidated bill is available. This will help to streamline the drafting process once the Rules Committee circulates a deadline.
The Committee intends to consider these bills similar to that of the Make America Secure Appropriations Act, which passed the House in July. Please keep in mind the following:
- The Committee will not accept amendments until the deadline is announced.
- All amendments must be drafted to the Rules Committee Print, which will be posted once the formal deadline is announced.
- It is essential that all amendments be received by the deadline (or sooner) to ensure proper consideration.
- Bills will be separated by division; you will need to submit amendments to each relevant division. (Divisions will be identified once the deadline is announced)
- You will not be able to amend, offset or transfer between bills/divisions. (Ex. cannot transfer money between Agriculture & T-HUD)
- Members should use the Office of Legislative Counsel to ensure that their amendments are drafted in the most appropriate format.
- Members should check with the Congressional Budget Office and the Committee on Appropriations for a preliminary assessment of their amendments’ budgetary effects.
- Members should check with the Office of the Parliamentarian and the Committee on the Budget to be certain their amendments comply with the rules of the House and the Congressional Budget Act.
- The committee does not intend to provide waivers of points of order against amendments made in order for consideration on the House floor.
If you have any questions, please contact myself or the Committee staff at 225-9191.
Sincerely,
PETE SESSIONS