[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 85 (Thursday, June 23, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H4987]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY

  Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I have a parliamentary inquiry.
  The SPEAKER. State your inquiry.
  Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I have noticed at least one occasion when a 
Member announced he was opposed to a measure when he sought to offer a 
motion to recommit but then voted ``yes'' on passage of the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, is that regular order?
  The SPEAKER. As Members are aware, the first element of priority in 
recognition for a motion to recommit is whether the Member seeking 
recognition is opposed to the main measure. This criterion is not a 
matter of record at that point. Instead, it depends on the statement of 
the Member seeking recognition. Under the practice of the House 
exemplified in Cannon's Precedents, volume 8, section 2770, the Chair 
accepts without question an assertion by a Member of the House that he 
is opposed to the measure in its current form.
  The Chair is cognizant of the possibility that a very close question 
can engender a genuine change of heart during the collegial discussions 
that occur during proceedings in recommittal and passage. But it is 
hard to believe that such genuine changes of heart might occur on 
regular bases. So the Chair must ask all Members to reflect on how 
important it is that the Chair be able to rely on the statement of a 
Member in judging whether he qualifies over another who is truly 
opposed to offer a particular motion.
  The instance recorded in the Deschler-Brown Precedents, volume 12, 
chapter 29, section 23.49, is instructive. As articulated in an apology 
by the ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations in 
1979, ``the honorable, if not technical, duty of a Member offering a 
motion to recommit is to vote against the bill on final passage.'' The 
Chair asks each Member to give thoughtful consideration to this 
sentiment.

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