U.S. Senate Periodical Press Gallery

U.S. Capitol, Room S-320

Washington, DC 20510

Rules for the Periodical Press Gallery

 

1. Persons eligible for admission to the Periodical Press Galleries must be bona fide resident correspondents of reputable standing, giving their chief attention to the gathering and reporting of news. They shall state in writing the names of their employers and their additional sources of earned income; and they shall declare that, while a member of the Galleries, they will not act as an agent in the prosecution of claims, and will not become engaged or assist, directly or indirectly, in any lobbying, promotion, advertising, or publicity activity intended to influence legislation or any other action of the Congress, nor any matter before any independent agency, or any department or other instrumentality of the Executive branch; and that they will not act as an agent for, or be employed by the Federal, or any State, local or foreign government or representatives thereof; and that they will not, directly or indirectly, furnish special or "insider" information intended to influence prices or for the purpose of trading on any commodity or stock exchange; and that they will not become employed, directly or indirectly, by any stock exchange, board of trade or other organization or member thereof, or brokerage house or broker engaged in the buying and selling of any security or commodity. Applications shall be submitted to the Executive Committee of the Periodical Correspondents' Association and shall be authenticated in a manner satisfactory to the Executive Committee.

2. Applicants must be employed by periodicals that regularly publish a substantial volume of news material of either general, economic, industrial, technical, cultural, or trade character. The periodical must require such Washington coverage on a continuing basis and must be owned and operated independently of any government , industry, institution, association, or lobbying organization. Applicants must also be employed by a periodical that is published for profit and is supported chiefly by advertising or by subscription, or by a periodical meeting the conditions in this paragraph but published by a nonprofit organization that, first , operates independently of any government, industry, or institution and, second, does not engage, directly or indirectly, in any lobbying or other activity intended to influence any matter before Congress or before any independent agency or any department or other instrumentality of the Executive branch. House organs are not eligible.

3. Members of the families of correspondents are not entitled to the privileges of the galleries.

4. The Executive Committee may issue temporary credentials permitting the privileges of the galleries to individuals who meet the rules of eligibility but who may be on short-term assignment or temporarily residing in Washington.

5. Under the authority of rule 6 of the House of Representatives and of rule 33 of the Senate, the Periodical Galleries shall be under the control of the Executive Committee, subject to the approval and supervision of the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. It shall be the duty of the Executive Committee, at its discretion, to report violations of the privileges of the galleries to the Speaker or the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, and pending action thereon, the offending correspondent may be suspended. The committee shall be elected at the start of each Congress by members of the Periodical Correspondents' Association and shall consist of seven members with no more than one member from any one publishing organization. The committee shall elect its own officers and a majority of the committee may fill vacancies on the committee. The list in the Congressional Directory shall be a list only of members of the Periodical Correspondents' Association.

 

REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE PERIODICAL PRESS GALLERIES

1. Applications for admission to the Periodical Press Galleries shall be made on forms provided by the Executive Committee of the Correspondents of the Periodical Correspondents' Association. This application shall be sent to the Periodical Press Gallery, U.S. Senate, Room
S-320, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. 20510, and be accompanied by two different issues of the publication and a letter from the applicant's editor, publisher, bureau chief or supervisor on the publication's letterhead, certifying that the applicant conforms to the Periodical Press Gallery Rules.

2. Members of the Periodical Press Gallery who no longer conform to the rules or change their employment shall immediately surrender their credentials to the superintendent of either gallery.

3. While in the Chambers, the reading of newspapers and audible conversation are not permitted; and correspondents must conform to the dress standards as applicable to the Members of each House of Congress.

4. Correspondents are provided guest privileges in the Speaker's lobby, except the balcony, for the purpose of interviews. Eavesdropping is prohibited and no reporting of such overheard conversations is allowed.

5. Any candidate for gallery admission whose application has not been approved, or a gallery member whose credentials have been reclaimed or suspended, shall have the right to a public hearing before the committee.

6. Members of the Periodical Press Gallery shall obey all security regulations when entering the Capitol and its office buildings.