H.Res. 20 — Establishing the Select Committee on Electoral Reform.

This section provides for the composition of the Select Committee by directing the Speaker to appoint 14 Members, 7 of whom after consultation with the minority leader, and by requiring the Speaker and the minority leader to each designate one Member to serve as co-chair, with any vacancy filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

This section establishes the duties of the Select Committee to examine current methods by which citizens of the United States elect Members of Congress and alternatives to those methods, including adopting multi-member congressional districts with proportional representation, adjusting the number of House Members, adopting alternative voting methods such as ranked-choice voting and cumulative voting, holding open and nonpartisan primaries, and establishing independent congressional redistricting commissions. The section further directs the Select Committee to conduct hearings with political scientists, current and former Members of Congress, and officials from States, localities, and countries that have implemented such alternatives, and to examine Federal barriers to State experimentation with alternative electoral systems, including the Uniform Congressional District Act and its requirement that States use single-member districts. Not later than 1 year after the Select Committee’s first meeting, the section requires the Select Committee to issue a final report to Congress and the President containing its recommendations.

This section establishes meeting and quorum requirements for the Select Committee. It requires the first meeting to be held not later than 30 days after all members have been appointed and authorizes subsequent meetings to be called by the co-chairs or a majority of members. A quorum consists of 12 members, although a lesser number may hold hearings.

This section establishes that the Select Committee has the authorities and responsibilities of a standing committee of the House and is deemed a committee of the House for all purposes of law or rule, except as otherwise provided. Rules X and XI of the Rules of the House apply to the Select Committee with the following exceptions: (1) service on the Select Committee does not count against the limitations in clause 5(b)(2) of rule X; (2) clause 2(m)(1)(B) and clause 2(m)(3) of rule XI and section 3(r) of House Resolution 5 (119th Congress) do not apply, but the Select Committee may recommend subpoenas and depositions to the relevant standing committee; and (3) clause 2(d) of rule X does not apply. The Select Committee has no legislative jurisdiction and no authority to take legislative action on any bill or resolution.

This section authorizes the Select Committee to use the services of House staff and establishes the committee's eligibility for interim funding pursuant to clause 7 of rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives.