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Making laws

Rules Committee

The House committee that writes the terms of debate, the 'rule', for each major bill: how long debate runs and which amendments are allowed.

In full

Before a major bill reaches the House floor, the Rules Committee reports a resolution setting its terms of debate: time limits, and whether amendments are open, limited, or barred entirely (a 'closed rule'). Controlled by the majority leadership, it is the reason the House can move legislation on schedule with a bare majority while the Senate cannot.

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Written from Congress.gov Legislative Glossary

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Browse every term in the glossary, or see the vocabulary in motion in the How government works walkthroughs.

A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.