HRES377-119

What This Bill Does

This rule moves a geographic-renaming bill and a higher-education homeland-security funding restriction bill to House consideration. This is a special House rule, not final enactment of the underlying policies. Its effect is to decide how the House may consider the named measures: it waives points of order, treats measures as read, sets debate time, identifies adopted committee or Rules Committee text, and preserves only the motions listed in the rule. The measures covered are H.R. 276 to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America and H.R. 881 to restrict Department of Homeland Security funding for institutions of higher education that have relationships with Confucius Institutes. That procedural design matters because it can move controversial disapproval resolutions or policy bills to a final vote while limiting the ability to raise procedural objections or offer amendments.

Who Benefits and How

Supporters of renaming the Gulf of Mexico, supporters of restricting DHS funds for universities tied to Confucius Institutes, House Natural Resources Committee leadership, and House Homeland Security Committee leadership receive procedural advantages. House majority leadership benefits because the rule converts the covered measures into a controlled floor package. The House Rules Committee benefits because its report and special-rule language define the operative text and amendment process. Committee chairs benefit when they control debate time for their committee's measures. Supporters of the underlying resolutions or bills benefit because the waiver and previous-question language reduce procedural friction.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Institutions of higher education with Confucius Institute relationships, supporters of the existing Gulf of Mexico name, Members seeking unprinted amendments, and opponents of DHS funding restrictions bear burdens. House Members seeking amendments bear a burden because amendments are barred or limited to the Rules Committee report. House minority leadership bears a burden because debate time is capped and the previous question prevents intervening motions except those named in the rule. Opponents of the covered measures lose some procedural tools because points of order against consideration and against provisions are waived. The House Clerk and floor staff must implement the timing, reading, amendment, and message instructions.

Key Provisions

• Provides consideration of H.R. 276 with the Natural Resources Committee substitute treated as adopted.
• Provides consideration of H.R. 881 with Rules Committee Print 119-2 treated as adopted.
• Waives points of order against consideration and provisions in both bills.
• Limits debate on each bill to one hour controlled by the relevant committee leaders.
• Preserves one motion to recommit for each covered bill while ordering the previous question to final passage.