House Homeland Security panel adopts committee rules and staff hiring resolution; chair outlines subpoena, voting and witness procedures

The House Committee on Homeland Security adopted its committee rules for the 119th Congress and a staff hiring resolution en bloc by voice vote during the panel's organizational meeting. Chairman (unnamed), who led the session, announced the measures were adopted and authorized staff to make technical and conforming changes.

The adoption matters because the committee rules and the staff hiring resolution set how the committee will conduct oversight and staff operations during the 119th Congress. Committee procedures established today include guidance on issuing subpoenas, taking depositions, the limited use of electronic voting, the practice of swearing witnesses, and handling requests for remote witness participation.

Chairman said the committee will generally meet to consider subpoenas and will issue subpoenas outside a meeting only in exigent circumstances and in consultation with the ranking member.…