A Committee on Commerce.- December 14, 1795.* ber 9, 1808. ‡ A Committee for the District of Columbia.-Jan. 27, 1808. 15, 1837. A Committee of Revisal and Unfinished Business. Decem To consist of nine mem bers each. To consist of five mem bers each. A Committee on Engraving, to consist of three members. - March 16, 1844. * This committee was originally a Committee on Commerce and Manufac tures. On the 8th December, 1819, a Committee on Manufactures was constituted, but no duties have been assigned to that committee in the rules. † The 3d of January, 1805, was the first time at which it was proposed to appoint a Committee on Public Lands. The proposition was then made by Mr. John Boyle, of Kentucky, and was rejected. On the 17th December, 1805, the committee was constituted for the first time. Previous to that day the busi. ness relating to the lands of the United States was sent either to the Committee of Claims or to a select committee, and frequently, in parts, to both. From the earliest stages of the Government, a select committee was annually raised upon the subject of "the Post Office and Post Roads," and was always composed of a member from each State. A standing committee was instituted on the 9th November, 1808, and, like the select committees, was directed to be composed of a member from each State. On the 23d December, 1811, it was directed to be composed of the same number of members as the other standing committees. § See note (1) page 59. When the Committee on Private Land Claims was first constituted, it was composed of five members, two less than the other committees. On the 19th December, 1817, it was directed to be composed of seven members. There are no duties assigned to the Committees on Manufactures, Agricul ture, and Indian Affairs, in the rules. **See note (‡,) page 59. ft The Committee of Accounts was first constituted as a select committee on the 7th November, 1804; it was made a standing committee December 17, 1805. 77. It shall be the duty of the Committee of Elections to examine and report upon the certificates of election, or other credentials, of the members returned to serve in this House; and to take into their consideration all such petitions and other matters touching elections and returns as shall or may be presented or come into question, and be referred to them by the House. - November 13, 1789; November 13, 1794. 78. It shall be the duty of the Committee of Ways and Means to take into consideration all such reports of the Treasury Department, and all such propositions relative to the revenue, as may be referred to them by the House; to inquire into the state of the public debt or the revenue, and of the expenditure: and to report, from time to time, their opinion thereon; to examine into the state of the several public departments, and particularly into the laws making appropriations of moneys, and to report whether the moneys have been disbursed conformably with such laws; and also to report, from time to time, such provisions and arrangements as may be necessary to add to the economy of the departments, and the accountability of their officers.]* January 7, 18 1802. In preparing bills of appropriations for other objects, the Committee of Ways and Means shall not include appropriations for carrying into effect treaties made by the United States; and where an appropriation bill shall be referred to them, for their consideration, which contains appropriations for carrying a treaty into effect, and for other objects, they shall propose such amendments as shall prevent appropriations for carrying a treaty into effect being included in the same bill with appropriations for other objects. January 30, 1819. *That portion of the duty of the Committee of Ways and Means which is printed within brackets was originally adopted on the 7th January, 1802. On 26th February, 1814, the Committee on Public Expenditures was created, and added to the list of standing committees; the duties of this latter committee are exactly those contained in that portion of the duties of the Committee of Ways and Means which is referred to in this note as within brackets.-See rule 89. The words ought to be stricken from the specification of the duties of the Committee of Ways and Means. 1 79. It shall also be the duty of the Committee of Ways and Means, within thirty days after their appointment, at every session of Congress commencing on the first Monday of December, to report the general appropriation bills for the civil and diplomatic expenses of Government; for the army; for the navy; and for the Indian department and Indian annuities-or, in failure thereof, the reasons of such failure.- September 14, 1837. 80. General appropriation bills shall be in order in preference to any other bills of a public nature, unless otherwise ordered by a majority of the House. -September 14, 1837. 81. No appropriation shall be reported in such general appropriation bills, or be in order as an amendment thereto, for any expenditure not previously authorized by lawSeptember 14, 1837, unless in continuation of appropriations for such public works and objects as are already in progress, and for the contingencies for carrying on the several departments of the Government. - March 13, 1838. 82. It shall be the duty of the Committee of Claims to take into consideration all such petitions and matters or things touching claims and demands on the United States as shall be presented, or shall or may come in question, and be referred to them by the House; and to report their opinion thereupon, together with such propositions for relief therein as to them shall seem expedient.-November 13, 1794. 1 83. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Commerce to take into consideration all such petitions and matters or things touching the commerce of the United States as shall be presented, or shall or may come into question, and be referred to them by the House; and to report, from time to time, their opinion thereon.* - December 14, 1795. *This committee was originally a Committee on Commerce and Manufactures. On the 8th December, 1819, a separate Committee on Manufactures was constituted, and the duties of the original Committee on Commerce and Manufactures have been conformed as above, by leaving out the words and Manufactures. There are no duties assigned in these rules to the Committee on Manufactures. 84. It shall be the duty of the Committee on the Public Lands to take into consideration all such petitions and matters or things respecting the lands of the United States as shall be presented, or shall or may come in question, and be referred to them by the House; and to report their opinion thereon, together with such propositions for relief therein as to them shall seem expedient. - December 17, 1805. 85. It shall be the duty of the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads to take into consideration all such petitions and matters or things touching the post office and post roads as shall be presented, or may come in question, and be referred to them by the House; and to report their opinion thereupon, together with such propositions relative thereto as to them shall seem expedient. - November 9, 1808. 86. It shall be the duty of the Committee for the District of Columbia to take into consideration all such petitions and matters or things touching the said district as shall be presented, or shall come in question, and be referred to them by the House; and to report their opinion thereon, together with such propositions relative thereto as to them shall seem expedient. --January 27, 1808. 87. It shall be the duty of the Committee on the Judiciary to take inte consideration such petitions and matters or things touching judicial proceedings as shall be presented, or may come in question, and be referred to them by the House; and to report their opinion thereupon, together with such propositions relative thereto as to them shall seem expedient.-June 3, 1813. 88. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Revolutionary Claims to take into consideration all such petitions and matters or things touching claims and demands originating in the revolutionary war, or arising therefrom, as shall be presented, or shall or may come in question, and be referred to them by the House; and to report their opinion thereupon, together with such propositions for relief therein as to them shall seem expedient. - December 22, 1813. 89. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Public Ex penditures to examine into the state of the several public departments, and particularly into laws making appropriations of money, and to report whether the moneys have been disbursed conformably with such laws; and also to report, from time to time, such provisions and arrangements as may be necessary to add to the economy of the departments, and the accountability of their officers.*-February 26, 1814. 90. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Private Land Claims to take into consideration all claims to land which may be referred to them, or shall or may come in question; and to report their opinion thereupon, together with such propositions for relief therein as to them shall seem expedient.-April 29, 1816. 91. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Military Affairs to take into consideration all subjects relating to the military establishment and public defence, which may be referred to them by the House, and to report their opinion thereupon; and also to report, from time to time, such measures as may contribute to economy and accountability in the said establishment. - March 13, 1822. 92. It shall be the duty of the Committee on the Militia to take into consideration and report on all subjects connected with the organizing, arming, and disciplining the militia of the United States. - December 10, 1835. 93. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Naval Affairs to take into consideration all matters which concern the naval establishment, and which shall be referred to them by the House, and to report their opinion thereupon; and also to report, from time to time, such measures as may contribute to economy and accountability in the said establishment. March 13, 1822. 94. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Foreign Affairs to take into consideration all matters which concern * See note to rule 78. And further: on the 30th March, 1816, six Committees on Expenditures in the several departments of the Government were created, and added to the list of standing committees. The duties assigned to these several committees would seem entirely to cover the duties of the Committee on Public Expenditures. - See rules 105 and 106. |