Title 2 — The CongressRelease 119-73
§29a Early organization of House of Representatives
Title 2 › Chapter CHAPTER 2— - ORGANIZATION OF CONGRESS › § 29a
Summary
The majority leader or the minority leader can, after talking with the Speaker, call a meeting in any even-numbered year for all reelected members of their party and all party members who were just elected. The leader must file a written notice with the Clerk of the House saying when the meeting will happen. The Clerk must tell each Member-elect as soon as possible after the election. If the leader’s job is vacant, the party’s caucus chair can call the meeting and file the notice. Member-elects (but not those who are already reelected incumbents) who go to the meeting will be paid for one round trip between their home district and Washington, D.C., and will be reimbursed for per diem or other expenses. Reelected incumbents who attend a meeting held after the final adjournment of that Congress also get the one round-trip payment. Payments follow the House Oversight Committee’s travel rules and use special forms. House funds are used. With the leader’s approval, the same travel and payment rules apply to new-member orientation run by the Committee on House Administration.
Full Legal Text
Title 2, §29a
The Congress — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)(1)The majority leader or minority leader of the House of Representatives after consultation with the Speaker may at any time during any even-numbered year call a caucus or conference of all incumbent Members of his or her political party who have been reelected to the ensuing Congress and all other Members-elect of such party, for the purpose of taking all steps necessary to achieve the prompt organization of the Members and Members-elect of such party for the ensuing Congress.
(2)If the majority leader or minority leader calls an organizational caucus or conference under paragraph (1), he or she shall file with the Clerk of the House a written notice designating the date upon which the caucus or conference is to convene. As soon as possible after the election of Members to the ensuing Congress, the Clerk shall furnish each Member-elect of the party involved with appropriate written notification of the caucus or conference.
(3)If a vacancy occurs in the office of majority leader or minority leader during any even-numbered year (and has not been filled), the chairman of the caucus or conference of the party involved for the current Congress may call an organizational caucus or conference under paragraph (1) by filing written notice thereof as provided by paragraph (2).
(b)(1)(A)Each Member-elect (other than an incumbent Member reelected to the ensuing Congress) who attends a caucus or conference called under subsection (a), and each incumbent Member reelected to the ensuing Congress who attends any such caucus or conference convening after the adjournment sine die of the Congress in the year involved, shall be paid for one round trip between his or her place of residence in the district which he or she represents and Washington, District of Columbia, for the purpose of attending such caucus or conference. Payment shall be made through the issuance of a transportation request form to each such Member-elect or incumbent Member by the Finance Office of the House before such caucus or conference.
(B)Each Member-elect (other than an incumbent Member reelected to the ensuing Congress) who attends a caucus or conference called under subsection (a) shall in addition be reimbursed on a per diem or other basis for expenses incurred in connection with his or her attendance at such caucus or conference.
(2)Payments and reimbursements to Members-elect under paragraph (1) shall be made as provided (with respect to Members) in the regulations prescribed by the Committee on House Oversight with respect to travel and other expenses of committees and Members. Reimbursements shall be paid on special voucher forms prescribed by the Committee on House Oversight.
(c)The applicable accounts of the House of Representatives are made available to carry out the purposes of this section.
(d)With the approval of the majority leader (in the case of a Member or Member-elect of the majority party) or the minority leader (in the case of a Member or Member-elect of the minority party), subsections (b) and (c) shall apply with respect to the attendance of a Member or Member-elect at a program conducted by the Committee on House Administration for the orientation of new members 11 So in original. Probably should be capitalized. in the same manner as such provisions apply to the attendance of the Member or Member-elect at the organizational caucus or conference.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Codification Section is based on section 202 of House Resolution No. 988, Ninety-third Congress, Oct. 8, 1974, which was enacted into permanent law by Pub. L. 93–554.
Amendments
2004—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 108–447, § 107(a), substituted “conference of all” for “conference, to begin on or after the first day of December and conclude on or before the twentieth day of December in such year and to be attended by all”. Subsec. (b)(1)(B). Pub. L. 108–447, § 107(b)(1), substituted a period for “for a period not to exceed the shorter of the following— “(i) the period beginning with the day before the designated date upon which such caucus or conference is to convene and ending with the day after the date of the final adjournment of such caucus or conference; or “(ii) fourteen days.” Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 108–447, § 107(c)(1), added subsec. (d). 1996—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 104–186, § 202(4)(A), substituted “House Oversight” for “House Administration” in two places. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104–186, § 202(4)(B), substituted “applicable accounts of the House of Representatives are” for “contingent fund of the House is”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Change of Name
Committee on House Oversight of House of Representatives changed to Committee on House Administration of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Sixth Congress, Jan. 6, 1999.
Effective Date
of 2004 Amendment Pub. L. 108–447, div. G, title I, § 107(d), Dec. 8, 2004, 118 Stat. 3177, provided that: “The
Amendments
made by this section [amending this section and section 5343 of this title] shall apply with respect to the One Hundred Tenth Congress and each succeeding Congress.”
Effective Date
Pub. L. 93–554 provided that the enactment of House Resolution No. 988, Ninety-third Congress, into permanent law is effective Jan. 2, 1975.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
2 U.S.C. § 29a
Title 2 — The Congress
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73