HRES 497 116th Congress House

Recommending that the House of Representatives find William P. Barr, Attorney General of the United States, and Wilbur L. Ross, Jr., Secretary of Commerce, in contempt of Congress for refusal to…

Official title: Recommending that the House of Representatives find William P. Barr, Attorney General of the United States, and Wilbur L. Ross, Jr., Secretary of Commerce, in … Show full official titleShow less

Official title: Recommending that the House of Representatives find William P. Barr, Attorney General of the United States, and Wilbur L. Ross, Jr., Secretary of Commerce, in contempt of Congress for refusal to comply with subpoenas duly issued by the Committee on Oversight and Reform.

Introduced: July 17, 2019 See on congress.gov

Congress Congressional oversightDepartment of CommerceDepartment of JusticeEvidence and witnesses

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Federal officialsGovernment ethics and transparency, public corruptionGovernment studies and investigationsHouse Committee on Oversight and ReformHouse of Representatives

Everywhere this bill has been 11 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Agreed to (House)

Jul 23, 2019

CHAIR ANNOUNCEMENT - The Chair informed the House that, pursuant to H.Res. 497, the Speaker has certified to the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia the refusal of William P. Barr and Wilbur L. Ross, Jr., to produce documents to the Committee on Oversight and Reform.

Jul 17, 2019

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Jul 17, 2019

On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 230 - 198 (Roll no. 489). (text: CR H5942)

Jul 17, 2019

Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H5977-5978)

Jul 17, 2019

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on H. Res. 497, the Chair put the question on agreeing to the resolution and by voice vote, announced the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Comer demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings on agreeing to the resolution until a time to be announced.

Jul 17, 2019

The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.

Jul 17, 2019

DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H. Res. 497.

Jul 17, 2019

Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 3494 and H. Res. 489 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 3494 under a structured rule; provides for consideration of a resolution relating to House Report 116-125, if called up by direction of the Committee on Overisight and Reform; provides for consideration of a joint resolution reported by the Committee on Foreign Affairs regarding the Arms Export Control Act; provides for consideration of H. Res. 489.

Jul 17, 2019

Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 491. (consideration: CR H5941-5949)

Jul 17, 2019

By direction of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, Mr. Cummings called up H. Res. 497 and asked for its immediate consideration.

Jul 17, 2019

Introduced in House

Votes taken on this bill 1

Date	Chamber	What was voted on	Result	Yes–No
Jul 17, 2019	House · vote #489	On Agreeing to the Resolution	Passed	230–198	See who voted →

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Latest action July 23, 2019

Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

This resolution finds Attorney General William P. Barr and Secretary of Commerce Wilbur L. Ross, Jr. in contempt of Congress for failing to comply with certain subpoenas authorized and issued by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform relating to the 2020 census. The resolution states that Mr. Barr and Mr. Ross failed to produce documents in compliance with subpoenas issued on April 2, 2019. The resolution also states that Mr. Barr ordered a Department of Justice employee, John Gore, not to comply with an April 11, 2019, subpoena requiring Mr. Gore to appear for deposition testimony before the committee.

The House of Representatives must certify to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia a committee report detailing the failure to comply with the subpoenas.

The resolution requires the House and committee to take additional action to enforce the subpoenas.

Bill text 1 version

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Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

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APA

U.S. Congress. (2026). H. Res. 497: Recommending that the House of Representatives find William P. Barr, Attorney General of the United States, and Wilbur L. Ross, Jr., Secretary of Commerce, in contempt of Congress for refusal to comply with subpoenas duly issued by the Committee on Oversight and Reform.. 116th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HRES-497/

MLA

"H. Res. 497: Recommending that the House of Representatives find William P. Barr, Attorney General of the United States, and Wilbur L. Ross, Jr., Secretary of Commerce, in contempt of Congress for refusal to comply with subpoenas duly issued by the Committee on Oversight and Reform.." 116th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HRES-497/.

Bluebook (legal)

H. Res. 497, 116th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HRES-497/.

Markdown link

[H. Res. 497: Recommending that the House of Representatives find William P. Barr, Attorney General of the United States, and Wilbur L. Ross, Jr., Secretary of Commerce, in contempt of Congress for refusal to comply with subpoenas duly issued by the Committee on Oversight and Reform.](https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HRES-497/)