,,iv  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,h4 ,,res4 #ajbi  ,,in ,,the ,,house    
,,of ,,representatives  ,june #bi1      
#bjbj,mr4 ,ted ,lieu of ,california 7for
 himself1 ,mr4 ,neguse1 ,mr4 ,raskin1   
,ms4 ,dean1 ,mr4 ,cicilline1 ,mrs4      
,demings1 ,mr4 ,swalwell of ,california1
 ,mr4 ,mc,nerney1 ,ms4 ,wild1 ,mr4      
,connolly1 and ,mr4 ,cohen7 submitted   
the following resolution2 which was     
referred to the ,committee on ,rules    
,,resolution  ,amending the ,rules of   
the ,house of ,representatives with     
respect to the enforcement of committee 
subpoenas to executive branch officials1
 and for other purposes4  #a4 ,short    
title ,this resolution may be cited as  
the ,congressional ,inherent ,contempt  
,resolution4  #b4 ,additional ,subpoena 
,enforcement ,power ,that rule ,,xi of  
the ,rules of the ,house of             
,representatives is amended by adding at
 the end the following new clauses3     
,additional ,subpoena ,enforcement      
,power#g4 7a7 7#a7 ,whenever any        

committee or subcommittee makes a       
written request to any department or    
agency of the ,government1 or to any    
individual1 for the attendance of named 
witnesses or the production of such     
books1 records1 correspondence1         
memorandum1 papers1 documents1 and      
electronic or digital files1 data or    
information1 in any form1 including any 
electronic or digital files1 data or    
information in any searchable formats in
 which they are available to or can be  
produced by the agency1 as the committee
 or subcommittee considers necessary1 a 
senior responsible official shall either
 comply with that request or file       
written objections within the time frame
 for response set forth in the request4 
,in the absence of a senior responsible 
official1 the witness himself or herself
 is responsible for the duties that     
would otherwise have fallen on that     
official4 7#b7 ,nothing in this clause  
shall be interpreted as preventing a    
witness from asserting personal         

privileges regardless of the decisions  
and actions of the senior responsible   
official4 7b7 ,if the senior responsible
 official files written objections      
within the timeframe for response1 the  
committee or subcommittee shall seek to 
resolve these objections through        
negotiation and accommodation4 ,if a    
resolution cannot be reached1 staff     
shall so certify to the chair of the    
committee4 7c7 ,if the senior           
responsible official fails to file      
objections or make available the        
designated witnesses or full production 
of responsive records and information   
within the timeframe for response1 the  
chair of the committee may issue a      
subpoena to the senior responsible      
official for any unproduced records or  
information as to which no objection was
 filed1 and to any designated witness to
 which no objection was filed4 7d7 ,with
 respect to any portion of the written  
request for documents and witnesses to  
which timely objection was made1 a      

subpoena to the senior responsible      
official and to designated witnesses1   
may be issued1 following conclusion of  
the negotiations referred to in         
paragraph 7b71 by-- 7#a7 the chair1 upon
 #dh hours notice to the ranking member1
 unless the ranking member objects      
during that period2 or 7#b7 a vote of   
the committee4 7e7 ,if the senior       
responsible official files written      
objections to a subpoena issued under   
paragraphs 7c7 or 7d7 within the        
timeframe for response1 or the          
,president personally and in writing    
asserts a claim of executive privilege  
with respect to the records1            
information1 and witnesses at issue1 the
 committee may hold a hearing to        
consider these objections4 ,the senior  
responsible official shall personally   
attend this hearing but may not assert  
,executive ,privilege on behalf of the  
,president1 and the committee chair may 
grant an exception for good cause shown4
 7f7 ,if the committee overrules some or

 all of the objections asserted1 it may 
issue an order of compliance which      
states the grounds for rejection of the 
objections1 the date for compliance1 and
 an advisement of the legal consequences
 of a failure to comply4 7g7 ,on the    
failure of the senior responsible       
official to comply with the order1 the  
committee shall meet to assess whether  
the noncompliance rises to the level of 
a breach of the constitutional privilege
 and duty of the ,house to be fully     
informed in order to properly perform   
its legislative responsibilities without
 undue obstruction and thereby warrants 
condemnation and punishment4 ,if so1 the
 committee shall report a privileged    
resolution of contempt4 ,the            
accompanying report shall include a     
detailed history and nature of the      
controversy and attempts at             
accommodation2 the legal issues raised2 
the legislative need for the information
 sought2 the legal and practical reasons
 for the determination that the         

objections were rejected2 and the       
recommended monetary penalties4 7h7 ,if 
the committee reports a resolution of   
contempt1 it shall be treated as a rule 
,,ix question of privilege of the ,house
 requiring precedence over all other    
questions until resolved and promptly   
scheduled for floor consideration4 ,the 
chair of the committee shall present the
 case for passage of the resolution4 ,at
 the conclusion of the allotted period  
for presentations1 questions and debate1
 a vote on passage of the resolution    
7including any fine1 if any74 ,a proffer
 of an amendment to alter the           
recommended penalty is in order4 7i7    
7#a7 ,upon ,house passage of the        
resolution of contempt the contemnor    
shall be assessed by the body an initial
 penalty of not more than #be1jjj and   
total penalties of not more than        
#ajj1jjj4 ,the amount of the ultimate   
penalty depends on timeliness of the    
contemnor's compliance in providing     
information withheld4 ,the initial      

penalty of not more than #be1jjj may be 
increased by increments of not more than
 #be1jjj after a one-time waiting period
 of #bj calendar days from the initial  
penalty until the #ajj1jjj maximum is   
reached4 ,the #bj-;day period must only 
be observed after the first penalty4 ,on
 ,house passage of the resolution of    
contempt1 the ,general ,counsel is      
authorized to file an immediate suit for
 a judicial order to freeze the         
contemnor's assets4 ,on expiration of   
the #bj-;day period for compliance1 the 
,general ,counsel is authorized to file 
suit for recovery of any accrued        
penalties1 but only if the contemnor has
 failed to comply with the subpoena     
before the end of such #bj-;day period4 
7#b7 ,no appropriated funds1 funds      
provided from any accounts in the       
,treasury1 funds derived from collection
 of fees1 or other ,government funds    
shall be used to pay a monetary penalty 
imposed by the ,house under this clause4
 7#c7 ,no person1 group1 entity1        

organization1 or corporation may make   
payments to1 reimburse or offer         
remuneration of any kind to compensate a
 contemnor for1 or assist a contemnor in
 paying1 any portion of a monetary      
penalty imposed by the ,house4 ,nor     
shall any person1 group1 entity1        
organization1 or corporation be         
permitted to pay any monetary penalties 
directly on behalf of a contemnor4 ,the 
,house may regard such actions to       
compensate1 reimburse or provide        
remunerations or payments to a contemnor
 as an obstruction of its investigative 
and information gathering prerogatives  
and responsibilities and a contempt of  
the ,house4 7j7 ,as used in this clause3
 7#a7 ,the term senior responsible      
official refers to an executive branch  
official with control or custody over   
the records or information or the       
subordinate officials or employees that 
are sought and who is a civil officer   
subject to removal from the office under
 ,article ,,ii1 section #d1 of the      

,constitution1 unless no such civil     
officer has control or custody over the 
records or information sought4 7#b7 ,the
 term objections includes an appropriate
 privilege log1 which shall describe    
with particularity the records or       
information withheld and the basis for  
withholding4 ,the log shall be in such  
form as instructed by the committee or1 
in the absence of such instruction1     
shall be in the form that would be      
required by the rules and practice of   
the ,united ,states ,district for the   
,district of ,columbia4 ,failure to file
 an appropriate and timely privilege log
 shall be a basis for overruling or     
disregarding any objection4 ,additional 
,subpoena ,enforcement ,power#h4 7a7    
,whenever any committee or subcommittee 
makes a written request to any person   
for the attendance of named witnesses or
 the production of such books1 records1 
correspondence1 memorandum1 papers1     
documents1 and electronic or digital    
files1 data or information1 in any form1

 including any electronic or digital    
files1 data or information in any       
searchable formats in which they are    
available to or can be produced by that 
person1 as the committee or subcommittee
 considers necessary1 such person shall 
either comply with that request or file 
written objections within the time frame
 for response set forth in the request4 
7b7 ,if such person files written       
objections within the timeframe for     
response1 the committee or subcommittee 
shall seek to resolve these objections  
through negotiation and accommodation4  
,if a resolution cannot be reached1     
staff shall so certify to the chair of  
the committee4 7c7 ,if such person fails
 to file objections or make available   
the designated witnesses or full        
production of responsive records and    
information within the timeframe for    
response1 the chair of the committee may
 issue a subpoena to such person for any
 unproduced records or information as to
 which no objection was filed1 and to   

any designated witness to which no      
objection was filed4 7d7 ,with respect  
to any portion of the written request   
for documents and witnesses to which    
timely objection was made1 a subpoena to
 designated witnesses may be issued1    
following conclusion of the negotiations
 referred to in paragraph 7b71 by-- 7#a7
 the chair1 upon #dh hours notice to the
 ranking member1 unless the ranking     
member objects during that period2 or   
7#b7 a vote of the committee4 7e7 ,if   
such person files written objections to 
a subpoena issued under paragraphs 7c7  
or 7d7 within the timeframe for         
response1 the committee may hold a      
hearing to consider these objections4   
,the person shall personally attend this
 hearing1 but the committee chair may   
grant an exception for good cause shown4
 7f7 ,if the committee overrules some or
 all of the objections asserted1 it may 
issue an order of compliance which      
states the grounds for rejection of the 
objections1 the date for compliance1 and

 an advisement of the legal consequences
 of a failure to comply4 ,the person    
shall comply with such order within the 
timeframe for response4 7g7 ,on the     
failure of the person to comply with the
 order of the compliance of the         
committee shall meet to assess whether  
the noncompliance rises to the level of 
a breach of the constitutional privilege
 and duty of the ,house to be fully     
informed in order to properly perform   
its legislative responsibilities without
 undue obstruction and thereby warrants 
condemnation and punishment4 ,if so1 the
 committee shall report a privileged    
resolution of contempt4 ,the            
accompanying report shall include a     
detailed history and nature of the      
controversy and attempts at             
accommodation2 the legal issues raised2 
the legislative need for the information
 sought2 the legal and practical reasons
 for the determination that the         
objections were rejected2 and the       
recommended monetary penalties4 7h7 ,if 

the committee reports a resolution of   
contempt1 it shall be treated as a rule 
,,ix question of privilege of the ,house
 requiring precedence over all other    
questions until resolved and promptly   
scheduled for floor consideration4 ,the 
chair of the committee shall present the
 case for passage of the resolution4 ,at
 the conclusion of the allotted period  
for presentations1 questions and debate1
 a vote on passage of the resolution    
7including any fine1 if any74 ,a proffer
 of an amendment to alter the           
recommended penalty is in order4 7i7    
7#a7 ,upon ,house passage of the        
resolution of contempt the contemnor    
shall be assessed by the body an initial
 penalty of not more than #be1jjj and   
total penalties of not more than        
#ajj1jjj4 ,the amount of the ultimate   
penalty depends on timeliness of the    
contemnor's compliance in providing     
information withheld4 ,the initial      
penalty of not more than #be1jjj may be 
increased by increments of not more than

 #be1jjj after a one-time waiting period
 of #bj calendar days from the initial  
penalty until the #ajj1jjj maximum is   
reached4 ,the #bj-;day period must only 
be observed after the first penalty4 ,on
 ,house passage of the resolution of    
contempt1 the ,general ,counsel is      
authorized to file an immediate suit for
 a judicial order to freeze the         
contemnor's assets4 ,on expiration of   
the #bj-;day period for compliance1 the 
,general ,counsel is authorized to file 
suit for recovery of any accrued        
penalties1 but only if the contemnor has
 failed to comply with the subpoena     
before the end of such #bj-;day period4 
7#b7 ,no appropriated funds1 funds      
provided from any accounts in the       
,treasury1 funds derived from collection
 of fees1 or other ,government funds    
shall be used to pay a monetary penalty 
imposed by the ,house under this clause4
 7#c7 ,no person1 group1 entity1        
organization1 or corporation may make   
payments to1 reimburse or offer         

remuneration of any kind to compensate a
 contemnor for1 or assist a contemnor in
 paying1 any portion of a monetary      
penalty imposed by the ,house4 ,nor     
shall any person1 group1 entity1        
organization1 or corporation be         
permitted to pay any monetary penalties 
directly on behalf of a contemnor4 ,the 
,house may regard such actions to       
compensate1 reimburse or provide        
remunerations or payments to a contemnor
 as an obstruction of its investigative 
and information gathering prerogatives  
and responsibilities and a contempt of  
the ,house4 7j7 ,as used in this clause3
 7#a7 ,the term person includes an      
individual1 partnership1 corporation1   
association1 or public or private       
organization other than an department or
 agency of the ,government4 7#b7 ,the   
term objections has meaning given to    
such term in section #g7m74 4