Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 84 Part 1.djvu/1212

 1154

Written rules provisions.

Television cameras, numeric al limitation.

PUBLIC LAW 91-510-OCT. 26, 1970

[84 STAT.

toffraphy, or by any of such methods of coverage, and the personal behavior of the committee members and staff, other Government officials and personnel, witnesses, television, radio, and press media personnel, and the general public at the hearing shall be in strict conformity with and observance of the acceptable standards of dignity, propriety, courtesy, and decorum traditionally observed by the House in its operations and shall not be such as to— " (A) distort the objects and purposes of the hearing or the activities of committee members in connection with that hearing or in connection with the general work of the committee or of the House; or " (B) cast discredit or dishonor on the House, the committee, or any Member or bring the House, the committee, or any Member into disrepute. " (d) The coverage of committee hearings by television broadcast, radio broadcast, or still photography is a privilege made available by the House and shall be permitted and conducted only in strict conformity with the purposes, provisions, and requirements of this clause. "(e) Whenever any hearing conducted by any committee of the House is open to the public, that committee may permit, by majority vote of the committee, that hearing to be covered, in whole or in part, by television broadcast, radio broadcast, and still photography, or by any of such methods of coverage, but only under such written rules as the committee may adopt in accordance with the purposes, provisions, and requirements of this clause. "(f) The written rules which may be adopted by a committee under paragraph (e) of this clause shall contain provisions to the following effect: "(1) If the television or radio coverage of the hearing is to be presented to the public as live coverage, that coverage shall be conducted and presented without commercial sponsorship. "(2) No witness served with a subpena by the committee shall be required against his will to be photographed at any hearing or to give evidence or testimony while the broadcasting of that hearing, by radio or television, is being conducted. A t the request of any such witness who does not wish to be subjected to radio, television, or still photography coverage, all lenses shall be covered and all microphones used for coverage turned off. This subparagraph is supplementary to paragraph (m) of clause 27 of this rule, relating to the protection of the rights of witnesses. "(3) Not more than four television cameras, operating from fixed positions, shall be permitted in a hearing room. The allocation among the television media of the positions of the number of television cameras permitted in a hearing room shall be in accordance with fair and equitable procedures devised by the Executive Committee of the Radio and Television Correspondents' Galleries. "(4) Television cameras shall be placed so as not to obstruct in any way the space between any witness giving evidence or testimony and any member of the committee or the visibility of that witness and that member to each other. "(5) Television cameras shall not be placed in positions which obstruct unnecessarily the coverage of the hearing by the other media. "(6) Equipment necessary for coverage by the television and radio media shall not be installed in, or removed from, the hearing room while the committee is in session.

�