[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 52 (Tuesday, March 21, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H3351]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY

  Mr. McDERMOTT. I have a parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Doolittle). The gentleman will state it.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, does the rule we have just adopted make 
in order general debate on H.R. 4 or H.R. 1214?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The rule makes in order debate on H.R. 4.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. As I understand it, Mr. Speaker, the committees of 
jurisdiction reported out three other bills, none of which is before 
the House today. Am I correct that H.R. 4 has not been reported out by 
any committee of jurisdiction?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman is correct.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, continuing that inquiry, is it true that 
the Budget Act points of order which are designed to assure that the 
budget rules we established for ourselves are adhered to apply only to 
measures that have been reported by the committee of jurisdiction?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair observes that sections 302, 303, 
311, 401, and 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 all establish 
points of order against the consideration of bills or joint resolutions 
as reported. That is, in each case the point of order against 
consideration operates with respect to the bill or joint resolution in 
its reported state. Thus, in the case of an unreported bill or joint 
resolution, such a point of order against consideration is inoperative.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. In other words, Mr. Speaker, if we had followed the 
regular order and reported either H.R. 4 or H.R. 1214 from the 
committees of jurisdiction, several points of order would have applied. 
To get around those rules, the majority has instead put before the 
House an unreported bill making it impossible for those of us who 
believe the House should be bound by the rules it sets for itself to 
exercise those rights.
  Mr. McINNIS. Regular order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The House has just adopted House Resolution 
117.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. It is my understanding that we went around the rules 
because we did not follow the rules.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman has not stated a parliamentary 
inquiry.
  Mr. McINNIS. A point of order, Mr. Speaker, I thought it was a 
parliamentary inquiry, not a speech.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman is correct.
  

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