THE SUBJECT MATTER TEST

Principle: An amendment must relate to the subject matter under consideration.

Example:

• On a bill to eliminate wage discrimination based on the sex of an employee, an amendment to make the bill applicable to discrimination based on race was ruled out of order as not germane.

• On a bill authorizing funds for the federal highway program, an amendment permitting the Governor of a State to divert funds from the highway program to urban mass transportation projects was ruled out of order as not germane.

• If a proposal would merely require an investigation of a subject, an amendment to require that a certain action be undertaken regarding that a subject is not germane.