Enabling the House of Representatives to be responsive to its membership.
- Bill Number
- H.Res. 997
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Congress
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-01-14: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, and Ethics, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Last Updated
- 2026-01-16T12:56:43Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This resolution, H. Res. 997, aims to update procedural rules in the U.S. House of Representatives to enhance accountability, streamline operations, and improve responsiveness to its members. It modifies the House's internal rules on official conduct and rule suspensions, while adding a practical measure for timekeeping in the chamber.
Key Provisions
- Code of Official Conduct (Title I, Sec. 101): Requires Members of Congress, Delegates, Resident Commissioners, officers, and employees to follow both the explicit wording ("letter") and underlying intent ("spirit") of House Rules and committee rules.
- Suspension of Rules (Title I, Sec. 102):
- Prohibits suspending House Rules without a two-thirds vote of members present and voting (with a quorum).
- Limits motions to suspend rules to Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and the last six days of a congressional session.
- Allows only one motion to adjourn while a suspension vote is pending; no other motions are permitted until the vote concludes.
- Makes suspension motions debatable for 40 minutes, split equally between supporters and opponents.
- Time Zone Clocks (Title II, Sec. 201): Directs the Clerk of the House to install clocks in the House Chamber showing real-time displays for all U.S. time zones, visible to members. Implementation follows regulations from the Committee on House Administration.
The resolution was introduced on January 14, 2026, by Mr. McGovern and referred to the Committees on House Administration, Rules, and Ethics.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Conduct Rule (Rule XXIII, Clause 2): Replaces the prior version with a broader requirement to adhere to both the "spirit and letter" of rules, potentially expanding ethical oversight beyond strict literal compliance.
- Suspension Rule (Rule XV, Clause 1): Introduces stricter limits on when and how rules can be suspended, including the two-thirds threshold (previously often a simple majority in practice), restricted days, and debate limits. This replaces the existing clause, making procedural shortcuts more difficult.
- New Requirement for Clocks: Adds a novel operational feature not previously mandated in House Rules, focusing on practical logistics for a geographically diverse nation.
These changes amend the standing Rules of the House of Representatives, which govern internal operations but do not require presidential approval as they are congressional self-regulations.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Primarily affects House operations; the Clerk's office gains a new administrative duty for installing and maintaining clocks, with oversight from the House Administration Committee.
- On Citizens: Indirectly promotes greater transparency and accountability in Congress by reinforcing ethical standards and limiting hasty procedural overrides, potentially leading to more deliberate legislative processes that better reflect public interest.
- On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though synchronized time displays could aid in coordinating with global events or hearings involving time differences.
Overall, these updates could slow down urgent or non-consensus actions in the House, fostering more structured debates but possibly frustrating quick responses to emerging issues.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- House Members and Leadership: Directly impacts how they conduct business, enforce ethics, and navigate procedural votes; the Speaker's role in entertaining motions is more constrained.
- House Staff and Officers: Employees and the Clerk must comply with the expanded conduct rule and handle new clock installation/maintenance.
- Committees (House Administration, Rules, Ethics): Gain roles in regulating implementation and reviewing jurisdiction-specific provisions.
- Broader Congress: Influences the pace and style of House proceedings, potentially affecting coordination with the Senate.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal/Constitutional: As internal House rules, these changes align with Congress's constitutional authority (Article I) to determine its own procedures. The broader "spirit and letter" conduct clause could invite more ethics investigations but risks subjective interpretations in enforcement.
- Political: Makes bypassing rules harder (via two-thirds vote and day restrictions), which might empower minority parties or slow majority agendas, reducing "pro forma" sessions but increasing debate time. The clock provision is largely symbolic/practical, promoting efficiency in a multi-time-zone legislature. No major constitutional challenges anticipated, but it could spark partisan debates on procedural fairness during adoption.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2]
Recent Actions
- 2026-01-14: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, and Ethics, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-01-14: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, and Ethics, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-01-14: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, and Ethics, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-01-14: Submitted in House
- 2026-01-14: Submitted in House
Bill Versions
- Enabling the House of Representatives to be responsive to its membership. — issued 2026-01-14 — PDF (3 pages)