Title 2, The CongressRelease 119-102

§199 Member of Commission, Board, Etc., Appointed by President Pro Tempore of Senate; Recommendation Process; Applicability

Title 2 › CHAPTER 6 — CONGRESSIONAL AND COMMITTEE PROCEDURE; INVESTIGATIONS › § 199

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

If a law says the Senate’s President pro tempore should pick someone for a commission, board, committee, or similar group, the pick must follow recommendations from the Senate leaders. If the law says the person must be from the majority party, the Majority Leader must recommend them. If it says the person must be from the minority party, the Minority Leader must recommend them. If the law does not say a party, both leaders must recommend the person together. These rules apply to appointments made after December 22, 1980, whether the law creating the appointment was passed before, on, or after that date.

Full Legal Text

Title 2, §199

The Congress, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Any provision of law which provides that any member of a commission, board, committee, advisory group, or similar body is to be appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate shall be construed to require that the appointment be made—

(1)upon recommendation of the Majority Leader of the Senate, if such provision of law specifies that the appointment is to be made on the basis of the appointee’s affiliation with the majority political party,

(2)upon the recommendation of the Minority Leader of the Senate, if such provision of law specifies that the appointment is to be made on the basis of the appointee’s affiliation with the minority party, and

(3)upon the joint recommendation of the Majority Leader of the Senate and the Minority Leader of the Senate, if such provision of law does not specify that the appointment is to be made on the appointee’s affiliation with the majority or minority political party.

(b)The provisions of subsection (a) shall be applicable in the case of appointments made after December 22, 1980, pursuant to provisions of law enacted on, before, and after, December 22, 1980.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

2 U.S.C. § 199

Title 2, The Congress

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102