[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 5 (Thursday, January 9, 2020)]
[House]
[Page H74]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRIES

  Mr. GRIFFITH. Madam Speaker, I rise for a parliamentary inquiry or a 
series thereof.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his parliamentary 
inquiry.
  Mr. GRIFFITH. Madam Speaker, am I correct that H. Res. 755 was passed 
by vote of the House on December 18, 2019?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will not verify the status of a 
measure not currently pending.
  Mr. GRIFFITH. A measure not currently pending.
  Additional parliamentary inquiry, please.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his parliamentary 
inquiry.
  Mr. GRIFFITH. Madam Speaker, since H. Res. 755 passed on December 18, 
2019, and the motion to reconsider H. Res. 755 was laid on the table on 
that same date, December 18, 2019, is there any action the House of 
Representatives can now take on H. Res. 755?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair does not respond to hypothetical 
questions.
  Mr. GRIFFITH. It is not a hypothetical.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair does not respond to hypothetical 
questions.
  Mr. GRIFFITH. Additional parliamentary inquiry.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his parliamentary 
inquiry.
  Mr. GRIFFITH. I am not inquiring hypothetically. I may wish to take 
action. Is there any action currently available to a Member of the 
House in regard to H. Res. 755?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair does not issue advisory opinions.
  Mr. GRIFFITH. All right. Further parliamentary inquiry.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his parliamentary 
inquiry.
  Mr. GRIFFITH. Is H. Res. 755 currently within the bosom of the U.S. 
House?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman is inquiring about the status 
of a measure not currently pending on the House floor.
  Mr. GRIFFITH. I thank the Speaker.
  Additional parliamentary inquiry.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his parliamentary 
inquiry.
  Mr. GRIFFITH. Since 21 calendar days, 12 working days, and seven 
legislative days have gone by since H. Res. 755 passed the House and 
the Speaker of the House has not been physically able to deliver H. 
Res. 755 to the United States Senate, does clause 8(b)(3)(C) of rule I 
of the House rules automatically cause a vacancy in the Office of the 
Speaker, or what action does the House need to take since the Speaker 
has not been able to physically do an essential part of her 
administrative duties as the Speaker of the House?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman has stated the form of clause 
8(b)(3) of rule I. However, the gentleman is not stating a 
parliamentary question within the purview of the Chair at this point. 
The gentleman is free to consult the rule and its accompanying 
legislative history for further clarification.
  Mr. GRIFFITH. I thank the Chair.
  Additional parliamentary inquiry.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his parliamentary 
inquiry.
  Mr. GRIFFITH. Reviewing its parliamentary history, I would ask the 
Chair, is there any precedent, other than incapacity, of a Speaker not 
timely transmitting action of the House to the United States Senate?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will not issue an advisory 
opinion. The Chair is prepared to entertain one more parliamentary 
inquiry.
  Mr. GRIFFITH. Additional parliamentary inquiry.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his parliamentary 
inquiry.
  Mr. GRIFFITH. Madam Speaker, clause 8(b)(3)(C) says that a physical 
incapacity to do the job of Speaker causes or may cause a vacancy. I am 
asking if there is any precedent related to that rule that the Chair 
can direct me to, having found none on my own?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will again respond that she will 
not issue an advisory opinion.
  Mr. GRIFFITH. I respectfully disagree that it is an advisory opinion 
and thank the Chair for her indulgence.

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