Secret Sessions of the House and Senate: Authority, Confidentiality, and Frequency

Palmer, Betsy

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.

关键词: Confidential communications;    House of Representatives;    Senate;    Politics and government;    closed session;   

RP-ID  :  R42106
RP-ID  :  R42106_2011Nov30

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

Secret, or closed, sessions of the House and Senate exclude the press and the public. They may be held for matters deemed to require confidentiality and secrecy-such as national security, sensitive communications received from the President, and Senate deliberations during impeachment trials. Although Members usually seek advance agreement for going into secret session, any Member of Congress may request a secret session without notice. When the House or Senate goes into secret session, its chamber and galleries are cleared of everyone except Members and officers and employees specified in the rules or designated by the presiding officer as essential to the session. After the chamber is cleared, its doors are closed.