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RULES FOR REGULATION OF THE SENATE WING OF THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL AND SENATE OFFICE BUILDINGS 1

[Adopted by the Committee on Rules and Administration pursuant to rule XXXIII of the Standing Rules of the Senate]

RULE I

SERGEANT AT ARMS

The Sergeant at Arms of the Senate, under the direction of the Presiding Officer, shall be the Executive Officer of the body for the enforcement of all rules made by the Committee on Rules and Administration for the regulation of the Senate wing of the Capitol and the Senate Office Buildings. The Senate floor shall be at all times under his immediate supervision, and he shall see that the various subordinate officers of his department perform the duties to which they are especially assigned.

The Sergeant at Arms shall see that the messengers assigned to the doors upon the Senate floor are at their posts and that the floor, cloakrooms, and lobby are cleared at least five minutes before the opening of daily sessions of all persons not entitled to remain there. In the absence of the Sergeant at Arms the duties of his office, so far as they pertain to the enforcement of the rules, shall devolve upon the Deputy Sergeant at Arms.

RULE II

MAJORITY AND MINORITY SECRETARIES

The secretary for the majority and the secretary for the minority shall be assigned, during the daily sessions of the Senate, to duty upon the Senate floor.

1Title changed effective June 22, 1998.

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RULE III

USE OF THE SENATE CHAMBER

In order to secure and protect the Senate Chamber and its furniture and furnishings, the language contained in paragraph numbered one of rule XXXIII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, which reads "The Senate Chamber shall not be granted for any other purpose than for the use of the Senate," shall be interpreted to mean that when the Senate is not sitting in session or otherwise using the Chamber for some function of the Senate, no Senator shall seat any person or persons in chairs of Senators others than the chair assigned to him (other persons shall not seat anyone in a chair of a Senator); and lectures, talks, or speeches shall not be given at such times to groups on the floor by Senators or others except for the purpose of explaining the Chamber.

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RULE IV

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TAKING OF PICTURES PROHIBITED; 1 USE OF MECHANICAL
EQUIPMENT IN CHAMBER

1. The taking of pictures of any kind is prohibited in the Senate Chamber, the Senate Reading Rooms (Marble Room and Lobby), the Senate Cloakrooms, and the Private Dining Room of the Senate.

2. The Sergeant at Arms shall be authorized to admit into the Senate Chamber such mechanical equipment and/ or devices which, in the judgment of the Sergeant at Arms, are necessary and proper in the conduct of official Senate business and which by their presence shall not in any way distract, interrupt, or inconvenience the business or Members of the Senate.

MESSENGERS ACTING AS ASSISTANT DOORKEEPERS

The messengers acting as Assistant Doorkeepers shall be assigned to their duties by the Sergeant at Arms.

1 Paragraph 1 of rule IV has been temporarily suspended on numerous occasions for the taking of official photographs of the Senate in session, and on Dec. 19, 1974, for telecasting the inauguration of Vice President Nelson A. Rockefeller. Senate authorization for the telecasting of the New Hampshire contested senatorial election debate was not utilized.

The Sergeant at Arms shall keep the aisles of the galleries clear, and shall not allow admittance into the galleries of more than their seating capacity, nor shall he allow admittance of children under the age of six into the galleries. He shall not permit any person to enter a gallery with or carrying any firearms or dangerous weapons except for law enforcement and other personnel performing duties under the direction of the Senate, or any package, bundle, suitcase, briefcase, or camera; he shall not permit any person in any gallery to smoke, applaud, or commit any other type of demonstration either by sound or sign; except in the press, radio, television, and correspondents' galleries he shall not permit any person to read (except the Senate seating diagram) or to write or take notes (except bona fide employees of the Senate when sitting in the Staff Gallery and making notes in the course of their employment); he shall not permit any person to take any picture or photograph or to sketch or draw; he shall not permit any person to place any object whatsoever-including hats, coats, or other personal apparel-or portion of a person on any railing, or any male to wear a hat, except that where a man's religious beliefs require that he wear a head-cover in such public places as the Senate Gallery, then such head-cover shall be permitted; 1 and he shall not allow any person to lean forward over the railings or to place his or her hands thereon.

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The galleries of the Senate shall be set apart and occupied as follows:

PRESS GALLERY

The gallery in the rear of the Vice President's chair shall be set apart for reporters of daily newspapers.

The administration of the Press Gallery shall be vested in a Standing Committee of Correspondents elected by accredited members of the gallery. The committee shall consist of five persons elected to serve for terms of two years: Provided, however, That at the election in January 1951, the three candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall serve for two years and the remaining two for one year. Thereafter, three members shall be elected in odd

1Adopted Apr. 1, 1987.

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numbered years and two in even-numbered years. Elections shall be held in January. The committee shall elect its own chairman and secretary. Vacancies on the committee shall be filled by special election to be called by the Standing Committee.

Persons desiring admission to the Press Gallery in the Senate wing shall make application in accordance with rule XXXIII for the regulation of the Senate wing of the Capitol, which rule shall be interpreted and administered by the Standing Committee of Correspondents, subject to the review and approval by the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration.

The Standing Committee of Correspondents shall limit membership in the Press Gallery to bona fide correspondents of repute in their profession, under such rules as the Standing Committee of Correspondents shall prescribe: Provided, however, That the Standing Committee of Correspondents shall admit to the Press Gallery no person who does not establish to the satisfaction of the Standing Committee all of the following:

a. That his or her principal income is obtained from news correspondence intended for publication in newspapers entitled to second-class mailing privileges.

b. That he or she is not engaged in paid publicity or promotion work or in prosecuting any claim before Congress or before any department of the Government, and will not become so engaged while a member of the Press Gallery.

c. That he or she is not engaged in any lobbying activity and will not become so engaged while a member of the Press Gallery.

Members of the families of correspondents are not entitled to the privileges of the Press Gallery.

The Standing Committee of Correspondents shall propose no change or changes in these rules except upon petition in writing signed by not less than 100 accredited members of the Press Gallery.

RADIO AND TELEVISION CORRESPONDENTS GALLERY

The front row in the northeast public gallery shall be set apart for the use of the radio-television correspondents. Persons desiring admission to the Radio and Television Correspondents Gallery of the Senate shall make application to the Committee on Rules and Administration of the

Senate, as required by rule XXXIII for the regulation of the Senate wing of the Capitol; and shall also state, in writing, the names of all radio stations, television stations, systems, or news-gathering organizations by which they are employed; and what other occupation or employment they may have, if any; and shall further declare that they are not engaged in the prosecution of claims or promotion of legislation pending before Congress, the departments, or the independent agencies, and that they will not become so employed without resigning from the gallery. They shall further declare that they are not employed in any legislative or executive department or independent agency of the Government, or by any foreign government or representative thereof; that they are not engaged in any lobbying activities; that they do not and will not, directly or indirectly, furnish special information to any organization, individual, or group of individuals, for the influencing of prices on any commodity or stock exchange; that they will not do so during the time they retain membership in the gallery. Holders of visitors' cards who may be allowed temporary admission to the gallery must conform to all the restrictions of this paragraph.

It shall be prerequisite to membership that the radio station, television station, system, or news-gathering agencies which the applicants represent shall certify, in writing, to the Radio and Television Correspondents Gallery that the applicants conform to the foregoing regulations.

The applications required by the above rule shall be authenticated in a manner that shall be satisfactory to the Executive Committee of the Radio and Television Correspondents Gallery, which shall see that the occupation of the gallery is confined to bona fide news gatherers and/ or reporters of reputable standing in their business who represent radio stations, television stations, systems, or news-gathering agencies engaged primarily in serving radio stations, television stations, or systems. It shall be the duty of the Executive Committee of the Radio and Television Correspondents Gallery to report, at its discretion, violation of privileges of the gallery to the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, and, pending action thereon, the offending individual may be suspended.

Persons engaged in other occupations, whose chief attention is not given to or more than one-half of their earned income is not derived from-the gathering or reporting of