Rules of the Senate Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation

I. Meetings of the Committee

    1. The regular meeting dates of the Committee shall be the first and third Tuesdays of each month. Additional meetings may be called by the Chairman as he may deem necessary or pursuant to the provisions of paragraph 3 of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate.

    2. Meetings of the Committee, or any Subcommittee, including meetings to conduct hearings, shall be open to the public, except that a meeting or series of meetings by the Committee, or any Subcommittee, on the same subject for a period of no more than 14 calendar days may be closed to the public on a motion made and seconded to go into closed session to discuss only whether the matters enumerated in subparagraphs (A) through  (F) would require the meeting to be closed, followed immediately by a record vote in open session by a majority of the members of the Committee, or any Subcommittee, when it is determined that the matter to be discussed or the testimony to be taken at such meeting or meetings--

        (A) will disclose matters necessary to be kept secret in the interests of national defense or the confidential
        conduct of the foreign relations of the United States;
        (B) will relate solely to matters of Committee staff personnel or internal staff management or procedure;
        (C) will tend to charge an individual with crime or misconduct, to disgrace or injure the professional standing
        of an individual, or otherwise to expose an individual topublic contempt or obloquy, or will represent a
        clearly unwarranted invasion of the privacy of an individual;
        (D) will disclose the identity of any informer or law enforcement agent or will disclose any information
        relating to the investigation or prosecution of a criminal offense that is required to be kept secret in the
        interests of effective law enforcement;
        (E) will disclose information relating to the trade secrets of, or financial or commercial information pertaining
        specifically to, a given person if–
            (1) an Act of Congress requires the information to be kept confidential byGovernment officers and
            employees; or
            (2) the information has been obtained by the Government on a confidentialbasis, other than through an
            application by such person for a specific Government financial or other benefit, and is required to be kept
            secret in order to prevent undue injury to the competitive position of such person; or
        (F) may divulge matters required to be kept confidential under other provisions of law or Government
        regulations.

    3. Each witness who is to appear before the Committee or any Subcommittee shall file with the Committee, at least 24 hours in advance of the hearing, a written statement of his testimony in as many copies as the Chairman of the Committee or Subcommittee prescribes.

    4. Field hearings of the full Committee, and any Subcommittee thereof, shall be scheduled only when authorized by the Chairman and ranking minority member of the full Committee.

II. Quorums

    1. A majority of members shall constitute a quorum for official action of the Committee when reporting a bill, resolution, or nomination. Proxies shall not be counted in making a quorum.

    2. Eight members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of all business as may be considered by the Committee, except for the reporting of a bill, resolution, or nomination. Proxies shall not be counted in making a quorum.

    3. For the purpose of taking sworn testimony a quorum of the Committee and each Subcommittee thereof, now or hereafter appointed, shall consist of one Senator.

III. Proxies

When a record vote is taken in the Committee on any bill, resolution, amendment, or any other question, a majority of the members being present, a member who is unable to attend the meeting may submit his or her vote by proxy, in writing or by telephone, or through personal instructions.

IV. Broadcasting of Hearings

 Public hearings of the full Committee, or any Subcommittee thereof, shall be televised or broadcast only when authorized by the Chairman and the ranking minority member of the fullCommittee.

V. Subcommittees

    1. Any member of the Committee may sit with any Subcommittee during its hearings or any other meeting but shall not have the authority to vote on any matter before the Subcommittee unless he or she is a Member of such Subcommittee.

    2. Subcommittees shall be considered de novo whenever there is a change in the chairmanship, and seniority on the particular Subcommittee shall not necessarily apply.

VI. Consideration of Bills and Resolutions

It shall not be in order during a meeting of the Committee to move to proceed to the consideration of any bill or resolution unless the bill or resolution has been filed with the Clerk of the Committee not less than 48 hours in advance of the Committee meeting, in as many copies as the Chairman of the Committee prescribes. This rule may be waived with the concurrence of the Chairman and the ranking minority member of the full Committee.

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Adopted by the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on
October 17, 2001.