[Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 106th Congress] [106th Congress] [House Document 105-358] [Rules of the House of Representatives] [Pages 373-384] [From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov] [[Page 373]] Official reporters Rule VI.--OFFICIAL REPORTERS AND NEWS MEDIA GALLERIES
685. Reporters of debates and committee stenographers. | 1. Subject to the direction and control of the Speaker, the Clerk shall appoint, and may remove for cause, the official reporters of the House, including stenographers of committees, and shall supervise the execution of their duties. |
Sec. 686. Rules relating to Congressional Record. | The arrangement, style, etc., of the Congressional Record is prescribed by the Joint Committee on Printing pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 901, 904 (see also VIII, 3500). The rules of the Joint Committee on Printing governing publication of the Congressional Record are as follows: |
Sec. 687. Substantially verbatim account. | The requirement of rule 7 of the supplemental rules outlined above that the Congressional Record be a substantially verbatim account of remarks actually rendered was included as former clause 9 of rule XIV in the 104th Congress (current clause 8 of rule XVII), with the prescription that that rule constitute a standard of conduct under former clause 4(e)(1)(B) of rule X (current clause 3(a)(2) of rule XI) (sec. 213, H. Res. 6, Jan. 4, 1995, p. 468). Under clause 8 of rule XVII (former clause 9 of rule XIV), remarks actually delivered may not be deleted and remarks inserted must appear in distinctive type (Jan. 4, 1995, p. 541). The Speaker has instructed the Official Reporters of Debates to adhere strictly to the requirement of rule 7 of the supplemental rules (Mar. 2, 1988, p. 2963; Feb. 3, 1993, p. 1980; Jan. 3, 1996, p. ----). The Chair announced the Record-printing policy regarding remarks in debate uttered in languages other than English, to deny transcription in the foreign language and to require Members to submit translations for distinctive printing in the Record in English as a revision of remarks (Mar. 4, 1998, p. ----). Because the Record is maintained as a substantially verbatim account of the proceedings of the House (44 U.S.C. 901), the Speaker will not entertain a unanimous-consent request to give a special-order speech ``off the Record'' (June 24, 1992, p. 16131). |
Sec. 688. Relations of the Committee of the Whole to the Congressional Record. | As a general rule the Committee of the Whole has no control over the Congressional Record (V, 6986); but the Chairman in the preservation of order, may direct the exclusion of disorderly words spoken by a Member after he has been called to order (V, 6987). In a case wherein the Committee conceived that a letter read in Committee involved a breach of privilege, it reported the matter to the House for action, and the House struck the letter from the Record (V, 6986). The Chairman of the Committee of the Whole does not determine the privileges of a Member under a general leave to print in the Record, that being for the House alone (V, 6988). Neither may the Committee of the Whole grant a general leave to print, although for convenience it does permit individual Members to extend their remarks (V, 7009, 7010; VIII, 3488- 3490; Aug. 31, 1965, p. 22385), nor may the Committee of the Whole permit the inclusion of extraneous material (Jan. 23, 1936, p. 950; Feb. 1, 1937, p. 656; Sept. 19, 1967, p. 26032). |
Sec. 689. Correction of the Congressional Record. | While the House controls the Congressional Record, the Speaker with the assent of the House laid down the principle that words spoken by a Member in order might not be changed by the House, as this would be determining what a Member should utter on the floor (V, 6974; VI, 583; VIII, 3469, 3498). Neither should one House strike out matter placed in the Record by permission of the other House (V, 6966). But the House may correct the speech of one of its Members so that it may record faithfully what he actually said (V, 6972). Where a Member interrupts another during debate without being yielded or otherwise recognized (as on a point of order) his remarks are not printed in the Record (Speaker O'Neill, Feb. 7, 1985, p. 2229). Where a Member had uttered disorderly words on the floor without objection, the House yet decided that it was not precluded from action when the words, after being withheld for revision, appeared in the Record, and struck them out (V, 6979, 6981; VI, 582; VIII, 2538, 3463, 3472). |
Sec. 690. Privileges of propositions to correct the Congressional Record. | A motion or resolution for the correction of the Congressional Record which involves a question of privilege may be made properly after the reading and approval of the Journal (V, 7013; VIII, 3496), and is not in order pending the approval of the Journal (V, 6989), but is privileged after that (V, 7014-7019; VIII, 3461, 3463). |
Sec. 691. Privilege of Member to revise his remarks in the Congressional Record. | The traditional practice to allow a Member, with the approval of the House and under conditions set forth by the Joint Committee on Printing, to revise his remarks before publication in the Congressional Record (V, 6971, 7024; VIII, 3500) should be interpreted in light of clause 8 of rule XVII and rule 7 of the supplemental rules of the Joint Committee on Printing, which require the Record to be a substantially verbatim account of remarks made during House proceedings (see Sec. 686, supra, and Sec. Sec. 967, 968, infra). In any event, a Member should not change the notes of his own speech in such a way as to affect the remarks of an opponent in controversy without bringing the correction to the attention of that Member (V, 6972; VIII, 3461), and alterations which place a different aspect on the remarks of a colleague require authorization by the House (VIII, 3463, 3497). A Member is not entitled to inspect the reporter's notes of remarks which do not contain reflections on himself, delivered by another Member and withheld for revision (V, 6964). Where a Member so revised his remarks as to affect the import of words uttered by another Member, the House corrected the Record (V, 6973). |
Sec. 692. ``Leave to print'' in the Congressional Record. | The practice of inserting in the Congressional Record speeches not actually delivered on the floor has grown up by consent of the House as the membership has increased and it has become difficult at times for every Member to express at length on the floor his reasons for his attitude on public questions (V, 6990-6996, 6998-7000). The House quite generally stipulates, in granting leave to print, that it shall be exercised without unreasonable freedom (V, 7002, 7003). General leave to print may be granted only by the House, although in the Committee of the Whole a Member, by unanimous consent, may be given leave to extend his remarks (V, 7009, 7010; VIII, 3488-3490). When a Member under leave to print places in the Record that which would not have been in order if uttered on the floor, the House may exclude the speech in whole or in part (V, 7005-7008; VIII, 3495; Oct. 2, 1992, p. 30709; Sept. 27, 1996, p. ----). Thus, |
693. Unofficial reporters in the press gallery and on the floor. | 2. A portion of the gallery over the Speaker's chair as may be necessary to accommodate representatives of the press wishing to report debates and proceedings shall be set aside for their use. Reputable reporters and correspondents shall be admitted thereto under such regulations as the Speaker may prescribe from time to time. The Standing Committee of Correspondents for the Press Gallery, and the Executive Committee of Correspondents for the Periodical Press Gallery, shall supervise such galleries, including the designation of its employees, subject to the direction and control of the Speaker. The Speaker may assign one seat on the floor to Associated Press reporters and one to United Press International |
Sec. 694. Unofficial reporters in the radio gallery and on the floor. | 3. A portion of the gallery as may be necessary to accommodate reporters of news to be disseminated by radio, television, and similar means of transmission, wishing to report debates and proceedings, shall be set aside for their use. Reputable reporters and correspondents shall be admitted thereto under such regulations as the Speaker may prescribe. The Executive Committee of the Radio and Television Correspondents' Galleries shall supervise such gallery, including the designation of its employees, subject to the direction and control of the Speaker. The Speaker may admit to the floor, under such regulations as he may prescribe, one representative of the National Broadcasting Company, one of the Columbia Broadcasting System, and one of the American Broadcasting Company. |