Amend HR 5 by striking Section 2(a) of Rule 4 and substituting 
the following:
	(a)  Membership on the standing committees shall be 
determined at the beginning of each regular session in the 
following manner:
		(1)  A maximum of one-half of the membership on each 
standing substantive committee, exclusive of the chair and 
vice-chair, shall be determined by seniority.  The remaining 
membership of the committee shall be appointed by the speaker.
		(2)  Each member of the house, in order of seniority, 
may designate three committees on which he or she desires to serve, 
listed in order of preference.  The member is entitled to become a 
member of the committee of his or her highest preference on which 
there remains a vacant seniority position.
		(3)  If members of equal seniority request the same 
committee, the speaker shall appoint the member from among those 
requesting that committee.  Seniority, as the term is used in this 
subsection, shall mean years of cumulative service as a member of 
the house of representatives.
		(4)  After each member of the house has selected one 
committee on the basis of seniority, the remaining membership on 
each standing committee shall be filled by appointment of the 
speaker, subject to the limitations imposed in this chapter.
		(5)  Seniority shall not apply to a procedural 
committee.  For purposes of these rules, the procedural committees 
are the Committee on Calendars, the Committee on Local and Consent 
Calendars, the Committee on Rules and Resolutions, the General 
Investigating Committee, the Committee on House Administration, 
and the Committee on Redistricting.  The entire membership of these 
committees shall be appointed by the speaker.
		(6)  In announcing the membership of committees, the 
speaker shall designate those appointed by the speaker and those 
acquiring membership by seniority.
		(7)  The speaker shall designate the chair and 
vice-chair from the total membership of the committee.
		(8)  Each of the members of the Committee on 
Appropriations may be designated by the speaker as chair for budget 
and oversight of a substantive committee, as determined by the 
speaker.