[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 75 (Wednesday, May 7, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H3114-H3115]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           CALENDAR WEDNESDAY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Today is the day of Calendar Wednesday. The 
Clerk will call the roll of committees.
  The Clerk called the committees.


                         Parliamentary Inquiry

  Mr. SESSIONS (during the call). Mr. Speaker, I have a point of 
parliamentary inquiry.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his inquiry.
  Mr. SESSIONS. I understand that this procedure that we are going 
through is known as Calendar Wednesday.
  Is it correct that any bill reported by a committee and placed on the 
Union or House Calendar could have been called up by the chairman as 
the committee name was read?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Clause 2(b) of rule XIII is sufficient 
authority for the chairman of the committee to call up from the 
Calendar a non-privileged bill on Calendar Wednesday.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Further point of parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his inquiry.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Does the jurisdiction of the Energy and Commerce 
Committee, as provided under clause 1 of rule X of the rules of the 
House of Representatives, include exploration, production, storage, 
supply, marketing, pricing and regulation of energy resources, 
including all fossil fuels, which includes legislation to lower the 
price of gasoline which has increased to over $3.60 a gallon under 
Speaker Pelosi's watch?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair believes that the gentleman 
correctly stated the rule up to the point where he embarked on 
commentary.
  Mr. SESSIONS. I have a further point of parliamentary inquiry, Mr. 
Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his inquiry.
  Mr. SESSIONS. H.R. 3236, introduced by Congressman Boucher of 
Virginia, to promote energy efficiency improvements in buildings and 
appliances was reported by the Energy and Commerce Committee on August 
3, 2007, and placed on the Union Calendar.
  Would it be possible for Mr. Dingell, the chairman of the Energy and 
Commerce Committee, to call up this bill under his committee's 
jurisdiction to help the Speaker to implement her secret plan to reduce 
gas prices by diverting less of America's energy supply to buildings 
and appliances, or for any other membership of the Democrat majority to 
help their leadership to call up the bill?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will respond to the Member's 
parliamentary inquiry but not his political commentary and repeat that 
clause 2(b) of rule XIII is sufficient authority for the chairman of 
the committee to call up from the Calendar a non-privileged bill on 
Calendar Wednesday.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Further point of parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman may state his inquiry.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Is it in order for any Member of the majority to call 
up H.R. 3239, also introduced by Mr. Boucher of Virginia and also 
available on the Union Calendar, to promote advancing plug-in hybrid 
vehicles and vehicle components through loan guarantees and grants, and 
if this would help the Speaker to implement her secret plan by reducing 
the demand for gasoline and bringing down the prices that have 
skyrocketed under this Democrat leadership?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Only the chairman or another member of the 
committee acting by its express direction may call up a bill.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Final point of parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman may state his inquiry.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Under the rules of Calendar Wednesday, is it in order 
for any Member of this body, including Speaker Pelosi, to call up H. 
Res. 1135, legislation drafted by Congressman Dean Heller of Nevada, 
which would call on Speaker Pelosi to reveal her secret commonsense 
plan to bring down gas prices since it's obviously not contained in the 
``no energy'' energy bill passed by the Congress last December?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. No. To be considered under the Calendar 
Wednesday rule, a bill must be on the Calendar, be non-privileged, and 
be called up either by the committee

[[Page H3115]]

chairman or by another member of the committee having specific 
authorization of the committee to call it up.
  Mr. SESSIONS. So in other words, Mr. Speaker, what you're saying is 
that the committee chairman and the Speaker have the ability to call up 
any bill that has been reported out.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. No, but that is not a parliamentary inquiry.

                          ____________________