Committee rejects Markey motion to restore equal private‑witness practice; rules reported favorably

Ranking Member Markey proposed an amendment to the committee’s rules to preserve a longstanding practice of calling an equal number of private witnesses for majority and minority in committee hearings.

Markey argued that, except for one Congress, the committee had largely followed the equal‑witness practice since 2001 and said equal witnesses make hearings fairer and “more constructive.” He urged the committee to adopt his amendment to continue that practice.

The chair opposed the amendment, saying the proposed change conformed committee practice to standing Senate rules while offering to work with the minority on witness numbers. Senators Shaheen, Rosen and others spoke in opposition to changing the longstanding bipartisan witness practice.

The committee conducted a roll‑call vote on the Markey amendment; the clerk reported 9 yeas and 10 nays and the amendment failed. The committee later voted to report the committee rules favorably; the chair ruled the rules were reported favorably with a quorum present.

Members discussed accommodating witness numbers in practice and the chair said she would be "absolutely willing to work with our minority" on witness lists for individual hearings. The transcript recorded requests to seek consistent language in the official record and offers to continue dialogue about daily witness counts going forward.