H.1. Declaration of Emergency

Congress may invoke emergency procedures when necessary, but only after formally declaring an emergency. That declaration must:

• Be issued jointly by the Speaker of the House and the Leader of the Senate;

• Be accompanied by a public statement that describes the emergency and why ordinary procedures cannot be reasonably followed;

• Specify a start date and, if possible, an estimated duration of the emergency;

• Be transmitted to the Clerk of the House, the Secretary of State, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; and

• Be made publicly accessible within four (4) hours of issuance.

A declaration of this type expires after sixty (60) days, unless both the Senate and the House vote by simple majority to renew for another sixty (60) days. Renewals must state the conditions that continue to justify the continuation of emergency status.