117 HRES 819 IH: Vote Overtime Tarnishes Everyone Resolution U.S. House of Representatives 2021-11-18 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV117th CONGRESS1st SessionH. RES. 819IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESNovember 18, 2021Ms. Tenney (for herself, Mr. Perry, and Mr. Guest) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on RulesRESOLUTIONAmending the Rules of the House of Representatives to establish a maximum time for certain record votes and quorum calls.

1.

Short title

This resolution may be cited as the Vote Overtime Tarnishes Everyone Resolution or the VOTE Resolution.

2.

Findings

The House of Representatives finds the following:(1)On November 5, 2021, at 8:12 a.m., a 15-minute vote on a motion to adjourn was called that Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi kept open for 7 hours and 6 minutes, the longest in the modern history of the House of Representatives.(2)On November 5, 2021, at 3:43 p.m., a 15-minute vote on a question of consideration of the resolution was called that Speaker Nancy Pelosi kept open for 4 hours and 35 minutes.(3)While flexibility is important, the practice of keeping the House of Representatives tied up in a single vote indefinitely is unnecessary and prevents Members of the House from effectively meeting their multiple daily obligations to serve their constituents.(4)For the House of Representatives to function well, the vote schedule and length of votes must be clearly and accurately communicated to all Members of the House to the furthest extent possible.(5)The ability to keep a vote open indefinitely is an enormous power grab by the Speaker, allowing the Speaker to halt all work on the House floor for as long as the Speaker wishes. It takes further power away from the Members of the House and centralizes it with House leadership.

3.

Requirements with respect to time for certain record votes and quorum calls

Rule XX of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended—(1)in clause 2(a), by striking the minimum time for a record vote or quorum call by electronic device shall be 15 minutes and inserting the time permitted for a record vote or quorum call by electronic device shall be not less than 15 minutes and not more than the number of minutes equal to two times the number of minutes directed by the Speaker for such record vote or quorum call;(2)in clause 3, by adding at the end the following: The time permitted for a record vote or quorum call by call of the roll shall be not more than the number of minutes equal to two times the number of minutes directed by the Speaker for such record vote or quorum call.; and(3)in clause 4(a), by striking The minimum time for a record vote or quorum call by tellers shall be 15 minutes and inserting The time permitted for a record vote or quorum call by tellers shall be not less than 15 minutes and not more than the number of minutes equal to two times the number of minutes directed by the Speaker for such record vote or quorum call.