H.Res. 5: Adopting rules for the One Hundred Eighth Congress.

108th Congress · introduced 2003-01-07 · Congress · Latest: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2003-01-07 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. DeLay, Tom [R-TX-22] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: 2 recorded votes in our records. Latest: House roll call 3 (2003): On motion to commit with instructions, HRES5 (2003-01-07), Failed. See all
Where it stands now: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Adopting rules for the One Hundred Eighth Congress.

Plain summary

Adopts the rules of the House of Representatives for the 107th Congress as the rules of the House for the 108th Congress, with amendments regarding: (1) Speaker succession; (2) repeal of the Speaker's term limit; (3) declaration of an emergency recess; (4) staff access to the House Floor; (5) a Rules Committee Member on the Budget Committee; (6) associate and professional staff of the Appropriations Committee; (7) postponement of votes in committee; (8) the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct; (9) joint referral; (10) dynamic scoring in Ways and Means Committee reports; (11) use of personal electronic equipment on the Floor; (12) accounting for vacancies in House membership; (13) proceedings during a call of the House; (14) five-minute voting in series; (15) prohibition on limitation amendments in a general appropriation bill for the administration of taxes and tariffs; (16) motions to instruct during conference; (17) a fiduciary relationship exemption for physicians; (18) perishable food as a gift; (19) a gift ban exemption for charity travel; and (20) automatic increases in the statutory limit on public debt. Continues from the 107th Congress: (1) certain budget enforcement mechanisms; and (2) House Concurrent Resolution 353 (budget "deeming" resolution) until a conference report establishing a budget for FY 2004 is adopted. Waives Rule X, clause 5(d) to allow extra subcommittees for the Committees on Armed Services, International Relations, and Transportation and Infrastructure. Reserves the first ten numbers for bills (H.R. 1 through H.R. 10) for assignment by the Speaker to such bills as he may designate when introduced during the first session. Makes motions to suspend the rules in order on Wednesdays through the second Wednesday in April. Establishes the Select Committee on Homeland Security.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

A Yea supports adopting this resolution.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Adopting rules for the One Hundred Eighth Congress.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. DeLay, Tom [R-TX-22] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Recorded votes

House roll call 3 (2003): On motion to commit with instructions, HRES5 (2003-01-07): Failed
House roll call 4 (2003): On Agreeing to the Resolution, HRES5 (2003-01-07): Passed

Words on this page, explained (10)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Exemption: A rule that removes certain people, property or activities from a tax or requirement.
Fiscal year: The 12-month period a government uses for its budget. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Most states use July 1 to June 30.
Resolution: A formal statement or decision by a legislative body. Simple resolutions often only express an opinion or set rules for one chamber; they do not become law.
Roll-call vote: A vote where each member's position is recorded by name, so the public can see how every member voted. "Yea" means yes, "Nay" means no, "Present" means the member was there but did not take a side.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.
Statute: A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.
Suspension of the rules: A fast way the U.S. House passes measures that have broad support. Debate is limited, no changes are allowed, and it needs a two-thirds vote.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-108hres5.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/108/hres>

Record fed-us-cong108-hres5 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong108 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong108