Multiple referral

Multiple referral is the process of sending legislation to be considered by more than one committee.

In the United States House of Representatives, proposed legislation can be sent to more than one Congressional committee due to a 1975 rules change. Reasons for referring legislation to more than one committee include a change in the most important issues, complexity of the legislation, or problems fitting the bill into the jurisdiction of only one committee.

Legislation may not be sent to multiple committees simultaneously, since a January 1995 change of the House rules. Under those same rules, the Speaker of the House must designate one or more primary committees in a joint referral.

In a split referral, legislation is divided into sections, with each part sent to the most relevant committee.

In a sequential referral, legislation is first sent to one committee, then to the next.

In the Senate, multiple referral can occur when jointly motioned by the leaders of both parties (almost never) or when the Senate grants unanimous consent.

References

(*) Sinclair, Barbara (1997). Unorthodox Lawmaking: New Legislative Processes in the U.S. Congress. CQ Press. ISBN 1-56802-276-X