COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

Senate committees give the bill the same detailed consideration as it received in the House and may report it with or without amendment. A committee member who wishes to express an individual view or a group of Members who wish to file a minority report may do so by giving notice, at the time of the approval of a report on the measure, of an intention to file supplemental, minority, or additional views.

These views may be filed within three days with the clerk of the committee and become a part of the report. When a committee reports a bill, it is reprinted with the committee amendments indicated by showing new matter in italics and deleted matter in line-through type. The calendar number and report number are indicated on the first and back pages, together with the name of the Senator making the report. The committee report and any minority or individual views accompanying the bill also are printed at the same time.

All committee meetings, including those to conduct hearings, must be open to the public. However, a majority of the members of a committee or subcommittee may, after discussion in closed session, vote in open session to close a meeting or series of meetings on the same subject for no longer than 14 days. If it is determined that the matters to be discussed or testimony to be taken will disclose matters necessary to be kept secret in the interests of national defense or the confidential conduct of the foreign relations of the United States;

Will relate solely to internal committee staff management or procedure.

Will tend to charge an individual with a crime or misconduct.

Will disgrace or injure the professional standing of an individual.

Will expose an individual to public contempt.

Will represent a clearly unwarranted invasion of the privacy of an individual.

Will disclose law enforcement information that is required to be kept secret.

Will disclose certain information regarding certain trade secrets.

May disclose matters required to be kept confidential under other provisions of law or government regulation.

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