mr. speaker , in accordance with clause 2 of rule xi of the rules of the house of representatives , i am submitting the rules of the committee on armed services for printing in the congressional record . 
these rules were adopted on wednesday , january 26 , 2005 at a public meeting of the full committee , with a quorum being present . 
rules governing procedure of the committee on armed services the rules of the house of representatives are the rules of the committee on armed services ( hereinafter referred to in these rules as the `` committee '' ) and its subcommittees so far as applicable . 
( a ) the committee shall meet every wednesday at 10 : 00 a.m. , and at such other times as may be fixed by the chairman of the committee ( hereinafter referred to in these rules as the `` chairman '' ) , or by written request of members of the committee pursuant to clause 2 ( c ) of rule xi of the rules of the house of representatives . 
( b ) a wednesday meeting of the committee may be dispensed with by the chairman , but such action may be reversed by a written request of a majority of the members of the committee . 
each subcommittee is authorized to meet , hold hearings , receive evidence , and report to the committee on all matters referred to it . 
insofar as possible , meetings of the committee and its subcommittees shall not conflict . 
a subcommittee chairman shall set meeting dates after consultation with the chairman , the other subcommittee chairmen , and the ranking minority member of the subcommittee with a view toward avoiding simultaneous scheduling of committee and subcommittee meetings or hearings wherever possible . 
pursuant to the authority granted by section 3 ( b ) , relating to separate orders , of h. res. 5 as adopted by the house of representatives on january 4 , 2005 , the committee shall be organized to consist of six standing subcommittees with the following jurisdictions : subcommittee on tactical air and land forces : all army and air force acquisition programs ( except strategic weapons and lift programs , special operations and information technology accounts ) . 
in addition , the subcommittee will be responsible for all navy and marine corps aviation programs , national guard and army and air force reserve modernization , and ammunition programs . 
subcommittee on readiness : military readiness , training , logistics and maintenance issues and programs . 
in addition , the subcommittee will be responsible for all military construction , installations and family housing issues , including the base closure process . 
subcommittee on terrorism , unconventional threats and capabilities : department of defense counter proliferation and counter terrorism programs and initiatives . 
in addition , the subcommittee will be responsible for special operations forces , the defense advanced research projects agency , information technology and programs , force protection policy and oversight , and related intelligence support . 
subcommittee on military personnel : military personnel policy , reserve component integration and employment issues , military health care , military education and pow/mia issues . 
in addition , the subcommittee will be responsible for morale , welfare and recreation issues and programs . 
subcommittee on strategic forces : strategic forces ( except deep strike systems ) , space programs , ballistic missile defense and department of energy national security programs ( except non-proliferation programs ) . 
subcommittee on projection forces : navy and marine corps programs ( except strategic weapons , space , special operations and information technology programs ) , deep strike bombers and related systems , and strategic lift programs . 
( a ) the chairman may designate a panel of the committee consisting of members of the committee to inquire into and take testimony on a matter or matters that fall within the jurisdiction of more than one subcommittee and to report to the committee . 
( b ) no panel so appointed shall continue in existence for more than six months . 
a panel so appointed may , upon the expiration of six months , be reappointed by the chairman . 
( c ) no panel so appointed shall have legislative jurisdiction . 
( a ) the chairman shall refer legislation and other matters to the appropriate subcommittee or to the full committee . 
( b ) legislation shall be taken up for a hearing or markup only when called by the chairman of the committee or subcommittee , as appropriate , or by a majority of those present and voting . 
( c ) the chairman , with approval of a majority vote of a quorum of the committee , shall have authority to discharge a subcommittee from consideration of any measure or matter referred thereto and have such measure or matter considered by the committee . 
( d ) reports and recommendations of a subcommittee may not be considered by the committee until after the intervention of three calendar days from the time the report is approved by the subcommittee and available to the members of the committee , except that this rule may be waived by a majority vote of a quorum of the committee . 
pursuant to clause 2 ( g ) ( 3 ) of rule xi of the rules of the house of representatives , the chairman of the committee or of any subcommittee or panel shall make public announcement of the date , place , and subject matter of any committee or subcommittee hearing at least one week before the commencement of the hearing . 
however , if the chairman of the committee or of any subcommittee or panel , with the concurrence of the respective ranking minority member of the committee , subcommittee or panel , determines that there is good cause to begin the hearing sooner , or if the committee , subcommittee or panel so determines by majority vote , a quorum being present for the transaction of business , such chairman shall make the announcement at the earliest possible date . 
clause 4 of rule xi of the rules of the house of representatives shall apply to the committee . 
( a ) each hearing and meeting for the transaction of business , including the markup of legislation , conducted by the committee or a subcommittee shall be open to the public except when the committee or subcommittee , in open session and with a majority being present , determines by record vote that all or part of the remainder of that hearing or meeting on that day shall be in executive session because disclosure of testimony , evidence , or other matters to be considered would endanger the national security , would compromise sensitive law enforcement information , or would violate any law or rule of the house of representatives . 
notwithstanding the requirements of the preceding sentence , a majority of those present , there being in attendance no fewer than two members of the committee or subcommittee , may vote to close a hearing or meeting for the sole purpose of discussing ( b ) whenever it is asserted by a member of the committee that the evidence or testimony at a hearing may tend to defame , degrade , or incriminate any person , or it is asserted by a witness that the evidence or testimony that the witness would give at a hearing may tend to defame , degrade , or incriminate the witness , notwithstanding the requirements of ( a ) and the provisions of clause 2 ( g ) ( 2 ) of rule xi of the rules of the house of representatives , such evidence or testimony shall be presented in executive session , if by a majority vote of those present , there being in attendance no fewer than two members of the committee or subcommittee , the committee or subcommittee determines that such evidence may tend to defame , degrade or incriminate any person . 
a majority of those present , there being in attendance no fewer than two members of the committee or subcommittee , may also vote to close the hearing ( c ) notwithstanding the foregoing , and with the approval of the chairman , each member of the committee may designate by letter to the chairman , a member of that member 's personal staff with top secret security clearance to attend hearings of the committee , or that member 's subcommittee ( s ) ( excluding briefings or meetings held under the provisions of committee rule 9 ( a ) ) , which have been closed under the provisions of rule 9 ( a ) above for national security purposes for the taking of testimony . 
the attendance of such a staff member at such hearings is subject to the approval of the committee or subcommittee as dictated by national security requirements at that time . 
the attainment of any required security clearances is the responsibility of individual members of the committee . 
( d ) pursuant to clause 2 ( g ) ( 2 ) of rule xi of the rules of the house of representatives , no member , delegate , or resident commissioner may be excluded from nonparticipatory attendance at any hearing of the committee or a subcommittee , unless the house of representatives shall by majority vote authorize the committee or subcommittee , for purposes of a particular series of hearings on a particular article of legislation or on a particular subject of investigation , to close its hearings to members , delegates , and the resident commissioner by the same procedures designated in this rule for closing hearings to the public . 
( e ) the committee or the subcommittee may vote , by the same procedure , to meet in executive session for up to five additional consecutive days of hearings . 
( a ) for purposes of taking testimony and receiving evidence , two members shall constitute a quorum . 
( b ) one-third of the members of the committee or subcommittee shall constitute a quorum for taking any action , with the following exceptions , in which case a majority of the committee or subcommittee shall constitute a quorum : ( 1 ) reporting a measure or recommendation ; ( 2 ) closing committee or subcommittee meetings and hearings to the public ; ( 3 ) authorizing the issuance of subpoenas ; ( 4 ) authorizing the use of executive session material ; and ( 5 ) voting to proceed in open session after voting to close to discuss whether evidence or testimony to be received would tend to defame , degrade , or incriminate any person . 
( c ) no measure or recommendation shall be reported to the house of representatives unless a majority of the committee is actually present . 
( a ) the time any one member may address the committee or subcommittee on any measure or matter under consideration shall not exceed five minutes and then only when the member has been recognized by the chairman or subcommittee chairman , as appropriate , except that this time limit may be exceeded by unanimous consent . 
any member , upon request , shall be recognized for not to exceed five minutes to address the committee or subcommittee on behalf of an amendment which the member has offered to any pending bill or resolution . 
the five-minute limitation shall not apply to the chairman and ranking minority member of the committee or subcommittee . 
( b ) members present at a hearing of the committee or subcommittee when a hearing is originally convened shall be recognized by the chairman or subcommittee chairman , as appropriate , in order of seniority . 
those members arriving subsequently shall be recognized in order of their arrival . 
notwithstanding the foregoing , the chairman and the ranking minority member will take precedence upon their arrival . 
in recognizing members to question witnesses in this fashion , the chairman shall take into consideration the ratio of the majority to minority members present and shall establish the order of recognition for questioning in such a manner as not to disadvantage the members of either party . 
( c ) no person other than a member , delegate , or resident commissioner of congress and committee staff may be seated in or behind the dais area during committee , subcommittee , or panel hearings and meetings . 
( a ) for the purpose of carrying out any of its functions and duties under rules x and xi of the rules of the house of representatives , the committee and any subcommittee are authorized ( subject to subparagraph ( b ) ( 1 ) of this paragraph ) : ( 1 ) to sit and act at such times and places within the united states , whether the house is in session , has recessed , or has adjourned , and to hold hearings , and ( 2 ) to require by subpoena , or otherwise , the attendance and testimony of such witnesses and the production of such books , records , correspondence , memorandums , papers and documents , including , but not limited to , those in electronic form , as it considers necessary . 
( b ) ( 1 ) a subpoena may be authorized and issued by the committee , or any subcommittee with the concurrence of the full committee chairman , under subparagraph ( a ) ( 2 ) in the conduct of any investigation , or series of investigations or activities , only when authorized by a majority of the members voting , a majority of the committee or subcommittee being present . 
authorized subpoenas shall be signed only by the chairman , or by any member designated by the chairman . 
( 2 ) pursuant to clause 2 ( m ) of rule xi of the rules of the house of representatives , compliance with any subpoena issued by the committee or any subcommittee under subparagraph ( a ) ( 2 ) may be enforced only as authorized or directed by the house of representatives . 
( a ) any prepared statement to be presented by a witness to the committee or a subcommittee shall be submitted to the committee or subcommittee at least 48 hours in advance of presentation and shall be distributed to all members of the committee or subcommittee at least 24 hours in advance of presentation . 
a copy of any such prepared statement shall also be submitted to the committee in electronic form . 
if a prepared statement contains national security information bearing a classification of secret or higher , the statement shall be made available in the committee rooms to all members of the committee or subcommittee at least 24 hours in advance of presentation ; however , no such statement shall be removed from the committee offices . 
the requirement of this rule may be waived by a majority vote of the committee or subcommittee , a quorum being present . 
( b ) the committee and each subcommittee shall require each witness who is to appear before it to file with the committee in advance of his or her appearance a written statement of the proposed testimony and to limit the oral presentation at such appearance to a brief summary of his or her argument . 
( a ) the chairman , or any member designated by the chairman , may administer oaths to any witness . 
( b ) witnesses , when sworn , shall subscribe to the following oath : `` do you solemnly swear ( or affirm ) that the testimony you will give before this committee ( or subcommittee ) in the matters now under consideration will be the truth , the whole truth , and nothing but the truth , so help you god ? 
`` ( a ) when a witness is before the committee or a subcommittee , members of the committee or subcommittee may put questions to the witness only when recognized by the chairman or subcommittee chairman , as appropriate , for that purpose . 
( b ) members of the committee or subcommittee who so desire shall have not to exceed five minutes to interrogate each witness or panel of witnesses until such time as each member has had an opportunity to interrogate each witness or panel of witnesses ; thereafter , additional rounds for questioning witnesses by members are discretionary with the chairman or subcommittee chairman , as appropriate . 
( c ) questions put to witnesses before the committee or subcommittee shall be pertinent to the measure or matter that may be before the committee or subcommittee for consideration . 
the transcripts of those hearings and mark-ups conducted by the committee or a subcommittee that are decided by the chairman to be officially published will be published in verbatim form , with the material requested for the record inserted at that place requested , or at the end of the record , as appropriate . 
any requests to correct any errors , other than those in transcription , or disputed errors in transcription , will be appended to the record , and the appropriate place where the change is requested will be footnoted . 
( a ) voting on a measure or matter may be by record vote , division vote , voice vote , or unanimous consent . 
( b ) a record vote shall be ordered upon the request of one-fifth of those members present . 
( c ) no vote by any member of the committee or a subcommittee with respect to any measure or matter shall be cast by proxy . 
( d ) in the event of a vote or votes , when a member is in attendance at any other committee , subcommittee , or conference committee meeting during that time , the necessary absence of that member shall be so noted in the record vote record , upon timely notification to the chairman by that member . 
( a ) if , at the time of approval of any measure or matter by the committee , any member of the committee gives timely notice of intention to file supplemental , minority , additional or dissenting views , that member shall be entitled to not less than two calendar days ( excluding saturdays , sundays , and legal holidays except when the house is in session on such days ) in which to file such views , in writing and signed by that member , with the staff director of the committee . 
all such views so filed by one or more members of the committee shall be included within , and shall be a part of , the report filed by the committee with respect to that measure or matter . 
( b ) with respect to each record vote on a motion to report any measure or matter , and on any amendment offered to the measure or matter , the total number of votes cast for and against , the names of those voting for and against , and a brief description of the question , shall be included in the committee report on the measure or matter . 
no point of order shall lie with respect to any measure reported by the committee or any subcommittee on the ground that hearings on such measure were not conducted in accordance with the provisions of the rules of the committee ; except that a point of order on that ground may be made by any member of the committee or subcommittee which reported the measure if , in the committee or subcommittee , such point of order was ( a ) timely made and ( b ) improperly overruled or not properly considered . 
the result of each record vote in any meeting of the committee shall be made available by the committee for inspection by the public at reasonable times in the offices of the committee . 
information so available for public inspection shall include a description of the amendment , motion , order , or other proposition and the name of each member voting for and each member voting against such amendment , motion , order , or proposition and the names of those members present but not voting . 
( a ) except as provided in clause 2 ( g ) of rule xi of the rules of the house of representatives , all national security information bearing a classification of secret or higher which has been received by the committee or a subcommittee shall be deemed to have been received in executive session and shall be given appropriate safekeeping . 
( b ) the chairman of the committee shall , with the approval of a majority of the committee , establish such procedures as in his judgment may be necessary to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of any national security information received classified as secret or higher . 
such procedures shall , however , ensure access to this information by any member of the committee or any other member , delegate , or resident commissioner of the house of representatives who has requested the opportunity to review such material . 
the staffing of the committee , the standing subcommittees , and any panel designated by the chairman shall be subject to the rules of the house of representatives , the records of the committee at the national archives and records administration shall be made available for public use in accordance with rule vii of the rules of the house of representatives . 
the chairman shall notify the ranking minority member of any decision , pursuant to clause 3 ( b ) ( 3 ) or clause 4 ( b ) of rule vii , to withhold a record otherwise available , and the matter shall be presented to the committee for a determination on the written request of any member of the committee . 
clause 2 ( k ) of rule xi of the rules of the house of representatives shall apply to the committee . 
