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U.S. Congress – A Primer on Committee ReportsPage 1 of 12
A PRIMER ON COMMITTEE REPORTS
“It has been a rule of the House since 1880 that bills reported from a committee must be accompanied by written reports . . . The report of a committee is in the nature of argument or explanation. . . It is the duty of each committee chairman to ‘promptly’ report measures approved by the committee to the House.” 
 
William Holmes Brown, House Practice, Pages 261-262
 
 
The rules of the House specify the form and content of committee reports. The rules requireinclusion of a series of matters in each committee report accompanying legislation orderedreported by a committee. Those requirements are found in clause 3 of House rule XIII
Inaddition, a fairly standard format for committee reports has evolved over the years, with eachcommittee refining that format to best suit its purposes.While many of the required elements of committee reports have remained constant over the pastseveral Congresses, the House has streamlined and updated the specific requirements for committeereports.This document offers a recommended form for committee reports, and the specific portions of thesereports that are required by House rules and the Congressional Budget Act. There are also numerousstatutes that require reports accompanying certain types of legislation to contain specific information.Such statutes include the Congressional Accountability Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act.As the application of these requirements is not universal for all bills or all House committees and thefailure to comply with these statutes does not trigger a point of order on the floor of the House againstconsideration of the pending measure, these statutory requirements are not included in this primer.
Basic Elements of a Committee Report1. Cover Page
 Legislative Counsel can provide the necessary format for the cover page of a committee report. Thispage will include the title of the bill, the date on which the report was ordered to be printed, the nameof the chairman submitting the report, notation of the legislation the report accompanies, and areference to the report’s inclusion of the cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office as well assupplemental, minority, or additional views which are also included at the end of the report.In addition, the cover page will note the committee’s action on the legislation as well as anycommittee recommendation with respect to the legislation. This recommendation usually takes any of the following forms: “that the bill do pass,” “that the bill do not pass” or “without recommendation.”If the committee has adopted an amendment to the legislation, the text of that amendment will appearat this point in the committee report.
2. Purpose of the Legislation
 The report should succinctly describe the purpose of the legislation. This is often an enhanced version
 
U.S. Congress – A Primer on Committee ReportsPage 2 of 12
of the purpose of the legislation printed on the introduced bill.
3. Bill Summary
 This section provides the committee with the opportunity to outline the specific components of thelegislation. Generally, for bills containing more than one section, the bill summary should be done in a“section-by-section” format, with the description and analysis of the legislative impact of each section.
4. Committee Consideration
 This section should briefly outline the legislative history of the legislation, specifically it’sintroduction, the actions of any other committees that have considered the bill, and the actionsundertaken by the reporting committee in considering this legislation. This outline should describebriefings or hearings held and should include a summary of the mark-up session on the legislation,highlighting any votes that were taken in committee to either amend or to order the legislationreported.
5. Background and Need for the Legislation
 This section provides the committee with the forum to “make its case” for the legislationaccompanying the report. It is here that the committee presents the historical context and rationale forits action in ordering the legislation reported and encouraging the House to pass the bill. This portionof the report is a key component of what is known as the “legislative history” of a bill once it hasbecome law. Future legislators, the courts, administration officials, lawyers and citizens may refer tothis part of the committee report in the implementation of the new law or when questions arise over“the intent of Congress” with respect to this legislation. The “Background and Need for theLegislation” section forms the basis of the committee’s argument or explanation as to why the Houseshould approve the underlying bill and what the bill is meant to address.
6. Matters Required Under the Rules of the House
 
Committee Vote(s)
 Clause 3(b) of rule XIII requires each committee report to include the total number of votes cast forand against on each record vote on a motion to report and on any amendment offered to the measureor matter, and the names of those members voting for and against.
Oversight Findings
 Clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII requires each committee report to include oversight findings andrecommendations as required under clause 2(b)(1) of rule X.
Committee Cost Estimate
 Clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII requires each committee report to include the statement required by section308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (the Budget Act), which requires the committee, afterconsultation with the Director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), to provide a cost estimatefor any measure that provides new budget authority, new spending authority or changes in revenues ortax expenditures. This requirement further notes that an estimate of new budget authority “shallinclude, where practicable, a comparison of the total estimated funding level for the relevant programs
 
U.S. Congress – A Primer on Committee ReportsPage 3 of 12
to the appropriate levels under current law.”
Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Estimates
 Clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII requires each committee report to include a cost estimate prepared by theDirector of the CBO, pursuant to section 402 of the Budget Act, if the cost estimate is timelysubmitted.
Government Performance and Results Act Statements
 Clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII requires each committee report to contain a statement of generalperformance goals and objectives, including outcome-related goals and objectives, for which themeasure authorizes funding.
Constitutional Authority
 Clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII requires each committee report on a public bill or joint resolution tocontain a statement citing the specific constitutional authority for enacting the law proposed.
 Alternative Cost Estimate
 Clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII requires each committee report (except those of the Committees onAppropriations, House Administration, Rules or Standards of Official Conduct) to include acommittee cost estimate in the event that the committee report does not include the statement of theDirector of the CBO (see above). This committee cost estimate would include an estimate of the costsincurred in carrying out the bill or joint resolution in the fiscal year in which is reported and the fiveensuing fiscal years (or for the authorized duration of the program if less than that time period); acomparison of the estimate of those costs and any estimate of such costs submitted to the committeeby any government agency; and, when practicable, a comparison of the total estimate funding level forthe relevant programs with the appropriate levels under current law.
Comparative Print 
 Clauses 3(e)(1) and (2) of rule XIII require each committee report on a bill or joint resolutionproposing to repeal or amend a statute or part of a statute to include the text of the statute or part thatis proposed to be repealed and a comparative print showing the changes proposed to the statute (this iscommonly known as the Ramseyer section of the report and it is provided by Legislative Counsel).
7. Views of Committee Members
Clause 2(l) of rule XI requires that a Member shall be entitled to not less than two additional calendardays after the day on which he or she provides notice (at the time of approval of a bill by a committee)of his or her intention to file supplemental, minority, or additional views for inclusion in thecommittee’s report. Pursuant to clause 2(c) of rule XIII those views shall be printed in the committeereport and referenced on the cover page of the report.
Requirements under the Unfunded Mandates Reform ActMandate Cost Estimate
 Section 423 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act requires that the CBO costestimate required under clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII include a mandate cost estimate. This estimate mustspecifically state whether the bill or joint resolution, as reported, contains any intergovernmental or
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HighlanderJuan

This rule, if enforced, would prevent Congress from enacting legislation that is not enumerated in the Constitution.

reply11 / 30 / 2009
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