[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9794]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER

  The SPEAKER. The Chair wishes to reiterate the announcement of 
February 25, 2015, concerning floor practice.
  Members should periodically rededicate themselves to the core 
principles of proper parliamentary practice that are so essential in 
maintaining order and deliberacy here in the House. The Chair wishes to 
emphasize these points:
  Members should refrain from trafficking in the well when another, 
including the presiding officer, is addressing the House.
  Members should wear appropriate business attire during all sittings 
of the House, however brief their appearance on the floor may be.
  Members must refrain from engaging in still photography or audio or 
video recording or streaming in the Chamber. Members violating this 
rule may be subject to fine.
  Members should address their remarks in debate to the presiding 
officer and not to others in the second person or to some perceived 
viewing audience.
  The Chair wishes to stress efforts to reduce voting times.
  As a reminder, Members should attempt to come to the floor within the 
15-minute period as prescribed by the first ringing of the bells. As a 
point of courtesy to each of your colleagues, voting within the 
allotted time would help with the maintenance of this institution. 
Members are further reminded that the policy is to not terminate the 
vote when a Member is in the well attempting to cast a vote but that 
other efforts to hold the vote open are not similarly protected.
  Following these basic standards of practice will foster an atmosphere 
of mutual and institutional respect. It will ensure against personal 
confrontation among individual Members or between Members and the 
presiding officer. It will facilitate Members' comprehension of, and 
participation in, the business of the House. In sum, it will ensure the 
comity that elevates spirited deliberations above mere argument.
  The Chair appreciates the attention of the Members to these matters.

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