III
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 63
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 4, 2009
Mrs. McCaskill (for herself and Mr. Udall of Colorado) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration
RESOLUTION
To amend the Standing Rules of the Senate to ensure that all congressionally directed spending items in appropriations and authorization legislation fall under the oversight and transparency provisions of S. 1, the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007.
Amendment to the Standing Rules of the Senate
Further transparency
Rule XLIV of the Standing Rules of the Senate is amended by adding at the end thereof the following:
All congressionally directed spending items shall be included in the text of an appropriations or authorization bill and any conference report related to that appropriations or authorization bill.
Not later than 48 hours after the request, each request for a congressionally directed spending item for an appropriations or authorization bill made by a Senator shall be posted on the Senator’s web site. The posting of the request for a congressionally directed spending item shall include the name and location of the specifically intended recipient, the purpose of the congressionally directed spending item, and the dollar amount requested. If there is no specifically intended recipient, the posting shall include the intended location of the activity, the purpose of the congressionally directed spending item, and the dollar amount requested.
It shall not be in order to consider an appropriations or authorization bill, amendment, or conference report if it contains a congressionally directed spending item for a private for-profit or non profit entity.
.
Clarifying application to conference reports
Paragraph 8 of rule XLIV of the Standing Rules of the Senate is amended by—
striking subparagraph (a) and inserting the following:
A Senator may raise a point of order against one or more provisions of a conference report if they constitute a congressionally directed spending item that was not included in the measure originally committed to the conferees by either House. The Presiding Officer may sustain the point of order as to some or all of the congressionally directed spending items against which the Senator raised the point of order.
; and
striking subparagraph (e).
Requiring full searchability
Paragraph 3(a)(2) of rule XLIV of the Standing
Rules of the Senate is amended by inserting in an searchable
format
after available
.
Supermajority requirement
Paragraph 10 of rule XLIV of the Standing Rules of
the Senate is amended by striking or 3
and inserting 3,
or 13
.
Availability by the committee of jurisdiction
Paragraph 6(b) of rule XLIV of the Standing Rules of the Senate is amended to read as follows:
With respect to each congressionally directed spending item requested by a Senator, each committee of jurisdiction shall make available for public inspection on the Internet the written statements and certifications under subparagraph (a) not later than 48 hours after receipt of such statements and certifications.
.