[House Practice: A Guide to the Rules, Precedents and Procedures of the House]
[Chamber, Rooms, and Galleries]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]
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CHAMBER, ROOMS, AND GALLERIES
Sec. 1. In General; Use of the Hall
Sec. 2. Admission to the Floor
Sec. 3. Electronic Devices; Signals, Bells, and Clocks
Sec. 4. Galleries and Corridors
Sec. 5. Photographs; Radio and Television Coverage
Research References
5 Hinds Secs. 7270-7311
8 Cannon Secs. 3632, 3636-3643
1 Deschler Ch 4
Manual Secs. 918-922
Sec. 1 . In General; Use of the Hall
The Hall of the House and unappropriated rooms in the House are
under the general control of the Speaker. Rule I clause 3. Manual
Sec. 623. Control of the appropriated rooms in the House wing is
exercised by the House itself. 5 Hinds Secs. 7273-7279. Resolutions
assigning a room to a committee have been considered as privileged. 5
Hinds Sec. 7273.
By House rule (Manual Sec. 918), the Hall may be used only for the
legislative business of the House, caucus meetings of its Members, and
ceremonies in which the House votes to participate. 5 Hinds Sec. 7270.
In rare instances, the House has permitted the Hall to be used for
ceremonial or special occasions. See 8 Cannon Sec. 3682; Deschler Ch 4
Secs. 3.1, 3.4. Members may not entertain guests in the Hall. Deschler
Ch 4 Sec. 3.2. Admission to the Hall, see Sec. 2, infra.
Disorderly or disruptive acts in the Capitol are unlawful, and
unauthorized demonstrations are prohibited by law. 40 USC
Sec. 193f(b)(4). And the unauthorized presence of persons on the floor
of either House or in the gallery of either House is prohibited. 40
USC Sec. 193f(b)(1), (2). Admission to the galleries, see Sec. 4,
infra. Disorder in the House, see Consideration and Debate.
Sec. 2 . Admission to the Floor
Generally
The House rules (Rule XXXII) enumerate those persons entitled to
be admitted to the floor or rooms leading thereto. Manual Secs. 919-
921b. Among those who may be admitted to the Hall are the President
and Vice President,
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Judges of the Supreme Court, Members-elect, governors of states, and
other named officials. Manual Sec. 919.
The rule is strictly enforced during regular meetings, less so on
ceremonial occasions (Deschler Ch 4 Sec. 4) or when the House is in
recess during a joint meeting with the Senate (91-2, Feb. 24, 1970, p
4546). The Speaker sometimes announces guidelines for enforcement
during a recess. During a regular meeting, a point of order will lie
to object to the presence of any unauthorized persons (92-2, June 21,
1972, p 21704). Motions or unanimous-consent requests to suspend the
rule may not be entertained by the Speaker (Rule XXXII clause 1; 92-2,
June 8, 1972, p 20318) or by the Chairman of the Committee of the
Whole (5 Hinds Sec. 7285).
The rule governing admissions to the floor permits the presence of
heads of departments and foreign ministers. Manual Sec. 919. ``Heads
of departments'' has been interpreted to mean members of the
President's Cabinet, and ``foreign ministers'' is construed to mean
the representatives of foreign governments duly accredited to the
United States. 5 Hinds Sec. 7283.
Persons who have been held entitled to admission to the floor
include Senators, although not for the purpose of addressing the House
(Deschler Ch 4 Sec. 4.8), and challengers in election contests, even
though they were not candidates in the election in which the sitting
Members were elected (Deschler Ch 4 Sec. 4.5). Floor privileges may be
claimed for one attorney for a Member-respondent during consideration
of a disciplinary resolution reported from the Committee on Standards
of Official Conduct. Manual Sec. 919.
The Speaker has the authority to exclude an individual who abuses
the privileges of the floor. 5 Hinds Sec. 7288. An alleged abuse of
the privilege of the floor may be made the subject of an inquiry by a
special committee. 5 Hinds Sec. 7287.
Staff; Committee Clerks
By House rule, a Member with an amendment under consideration may
be joined on the floor by one person from his staff. This rule also
permits the presence of clerks of committees when business from their
committee is under consideration. Rule XXXII clause 1. Manual
Sec. 919.
This rule has been interpreted by the Speaker to allow the
presence on the floor of four professional staff members and one clerk
from a committee during consideration of that committee's business
(92-2, June 8, 1972, p 20318) and to require that such individuals
remain unobtrusively by the committee tables (97-2, Aug. 18, 1982, p
21934). The privileges of the floor do not extend to departmental
employees assisting committees in the preparation of bills. 6 Cannon
Sec. 579. Where several committees are involved in a pending measure,
the rule permits authorized majority and minority staff
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(up to five persons) from each committee. 97-1, June 26, 1981, p
14574. Floor clerks other than those employed by a committee involved
in the bill under consideration are not entitled to the floor.
Deschler Ch 4 Sec. 4. The Speaker has announced his intention to
strictly enforce the rule to prevent a proliferation of committee
staff on the floor. 93-2, Aug. 22, 1974, p 30027; 97-1, Jan. 19, 1981,
p 402; 98-1, Jan. 25, 1983, p 224.
Staff permitted on the floor under the rule are not permitted to
pass out literature or otherwise attempt to influence Members in their
votes. (101-2, Aug. 1, 1990, p ____), nor to applaud during debate
(104-1, June 15, 1995, p ____).
Effect of Personal or Pecuniary Interest in Pending Legislation
Although former Members, officers, and certain former employees
have access to the floor under the rule (Manual Sec. 919), such an
individual is not entitled to the privileges of the floor if he (1)
has a direct personal or pecuniary interest in legislation under
consideration in the House or reported by any committee, or (2)
represents any party or organization for the purpose of influencing
the disposition of legislation pending before the House or reported by
a committee or under consideration in a committee. Manual Sec. 921a.
See also 95-2, June 7, 1978, p 16625. For regulations issued by the
Speaker under this rule, see 95-1, Jan. 6, 1977, p 321; announcement
of Speaker Foley, 103-2, June 9, 1994, p ____; announcement of Speaker
Gingrich, 104-1, May 24, 1995, p ____..
Secret Sessions
Before a secret session of the House commences, the Speaker may
direct that the chamber be cleared of all persons except Members and
those officers and employees specified by the Speaker whose attendance
on the floor is essential to the functioning of the session. 96-1,
June 20, 1979, p 15711. A point of order will not lie against the
presence in the chamber of those persons whose attendance on the floor
is permitted by the Speaker's directive. 96-1, July 17, 1979, p 19050.
See also Consideration and Debate.
Sec. 3 . Electronic Devices; Signals, Bells, and Clocks
Various electronic devices and computer services are used by the
House under the modern practice to expedite quorum calls, votes, and
for other purposes. Manual Sec. 765a. Resolutions relating thereto are
within the jurisdiction of the Committee on House Oversight (formerly
House Administration) and are called up as privileged. See 92-1, Nov.
9, 1971, p 40015.
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The use of personal electronic office equipment (including
cellular phones and computers) on the floor of the House is prohibited
by rules adopted in 1995. Rule XIV clause 7.
A legislative bell and light system alerts Members to quorum
calls, the taking of certain votes, and other occurrences on the
floor. Manual Sec. 765. Changes in the system are announced by the
Speaker from time to time. The failure of the signal bells to announce
a vote does not warrant repetition of the roll call (8 Cannon
Secs. 3153-3511), nor does such a failure permit a Member to be
recorded following the conclusion of the call (75-3, June 9, 1938, p
8662).
Microphones have been placed on the floor of the House for the use
of Members. A Member making an appropriate request should use one of
the floor microphones so that all Members may hear it. 94-1, Oct. 28,
1975, p 34027. By the same token, the House rules (Rule I clause 2)
direct the Speaker to preserve order and decorum in the House, and he
is authorized to order the microphones turned off if being utilized by
a Member who has not been properly recognized and who is disorderly.
100-2, Mar. 16, 1988, pp 4079 et seq.
Where there is a discrepancy in the time shown on the clocks in
the House chamber, the Chair relies on the clock on the north wall in
deciding when time has expired. 88-2, Feb. 10, 1964, p 2724.
Sec. 4 . Galleries and Corridors
Control over the corridors leading to the House chamber is vested
in the Speaker. Manual Secs. 622, 623. The Speaker may order the
corridors cleared during quorum calls and the taking of votes to
ensure unimpeded access to the chamber. 96-1, Jan. 15, 1979, p 19. The
Speaker preserves order and decorum in the galleries, and in the event
of a disturbance, he may order the galleries cleared. Manual Sec. 622.
The Chairman of the Committee of the Whole may exercise similar power
in preserving order in the galleries. Manual Sec. 861a.
Guests in the House gallery must maintain order and refrain from
manifestations of approval or disapproval of proceedings on the floor,
and admonitions may be expressed either by the Speaker (89-2, July 25,
1966, p 16837; 92-2, Jan. 18, 1972, p 8) or by the Chairman of the
Committee of the Whole (91-2, May 6, 1970, p 14449). It is also out of
order under the rules of the House to refer to visitors in the
galleries, even with permission to proceed out of order (Deschler Ch 4
Sec. 5.4), and the Speaker, on his own initiative, may declare such
remarks to be out of order (Deschler Ch 4 Sec. 5.3).
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Sec. 5 . Photographs; Radio and Television Coverage
Photographs
Under the practice of the House, permission must be obtained
before photographs may be taken inside the House chamber. Deschler Ch
4 Sec. 3.5. Official photographs of the House while in session may be
permitted by resolution. 88-2, Feb. 20, 1964, p 3224; 94-1, July 14,
1975, p 22575. Ground rules regarding the taking of such pictures may
be enforced by the Speaker. 91-1, Jan. 6, 1969, p 145.
Media Coverage of Floor Proceedings
Prior to the 95th Congress, the rules and precedents of the House
did not permit public radio and television broadcasts of House
proceedings. In 1977, the House adopted a privileged resolution
reported from the Committee on Rules to provide a system of closed-
circuit viewing of House proceedings and for the orderly development
of a broadcasting system. 95-1, Oct. 27, 1977, p 35425. The 96th
Congress adopted a rule authorizing and directing audio and visual
broadcasting and recording of the proceedings of the House. Rule I
clause 9. Under this rule, broadcasts are made over closed-circuit
television in House offices, and have been made available to the news
media and to cable television systems. Broadcasts made available under
the rule may not be used for political purposes, and the use thereof
for commercial purposes is restricted. Manual Sec. 934c.
In 1984, a question arose as to the authority of the Speaker to
require wide-angle television coverage of the House chamber during
special-order speeches. In this instance, the Speaker's directive that
television cameras covering special-order speeches of the House at the
completion of legislative business include periodic wide-angle
coverage of the entire House chamber was held to be consistent with
the authority conferred upon the Speaker under clause 9 of Rule I to
devise and implement complete and unedited audio and visual coverage
of the proceedings of the House. 98-2, May 10, 1984, p 11898. More
recently, the Speaker has followed a policy under which television
cameras would not ``pan'' the chamber during morning hour or special-
order speeches. 103-2, Feb. 11, 1994, p ____; 104-1, Jan. 4, 1995, p
____.
Although clause 9(b)(1) of Rule I requires complete and unedited
broadcast coverage of the proceedings of the House, it does not
require in-House microphone amplification of disorderly conduct by a
Member following expiration of his recognition for debate. 100-2, Mar.
16, 1988, pp 4079 et seq.