[House Practice: A Guide to the Rules, Precedents and Procedures of the House]
[Chapter 45. Recess]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


                              HOUSE PRACTICE

  Sec. 1. In General
  Sec. 2. House Authorization; Motions
  Sec. 3. Duration of Recess
  Sec. 4. Purpose of Recess
        Research References
          5 Hinds Sec. Sec. 6663-6671
          8 Cannon Sec. Sec. 3354-3362
           Deschler-Brown-Johnson Ch 39
          Manual Sec. Sec. 586, 911, 913


  Sec. 1 . In General

      Under clause 12(a) of rule I, the Speaker may declare a recess 
  ``for a short time'' when no question is pending before the House. 
  Under clause 12(b) of rule I, the Speaker or chair of the Committee of 
  the Whole may declare an emergency recess when notified of an imminent 
  threat to the safety of the House. Recesses also may be declared by 
  the Speaker pursuant to authority granted by the House by privileged 
  motion. Sec. 2, infra. Except in case of emergency under clause 12(b) 
  of rule I, recesses are not permitted in the Committee of the Whole 
  except with the permission of the House. 5 Hinds Sec. Sec. 6669-6671; 
  8 Cannon Sec. 3357.
      Recess is to be distinguished from adjournment. Recesses are taken 
  during a legislative day, whereas adjournments terminate a legislative 
  day. Another distinguishing feature is that, during a recess, the Mace 
  remains in place on the rostrum, indicating that the House continues 
  in session. Bills may be introduced and reports may be filed through 
  the hopper.
      Except for an emergency recess under clause 12(b) of rule I, a 
  recess may not interrupt a call of the roll or a recorded vote, even 
  though the House has previously given authority to declare a recess at 
  any time. 5 Hinds Sec. Sec. 6054, 6055. However, when the hour 
  previously fixed for a recess arrived, the Chair declared the House in 
  recess during a division vote. 5 Hinds Sec. 6665.

[[Page 780]]

  Sec. 2 . House Authorization; Motions

      The House may specifically authorize the Speaker to declare a 
  recess, but in modern practice, the standing authority in clause 12(a) 
  of rule I (to declare a recess when no question is pending) has made 
  such specific authorizations infrequent. The House may, by motion, by 
  unanimous consent, by suspension of the rules, or by special order of 
  business, authorize the Speaker to declare a recess. Clause 4 of rule 
  XVI; Manual Sec. Sec. 83, 586, 911, 913; Deschler Ch 21 Sec. 11.8. The 
  authority may be for a single recess on a given day, for several 
  recesses subject to the call of the Chair, or for more than one day. 
  104-1, Dec. 15, 1995, p 37107 (motion); 104-1, Dec. 21, 1995, p 38475 
  (special order of business). However, no recess declared by the 
  Speaker or authorized by the House alone can exceed three days (not 
  including Sundays) because that would violate the constitutional 
  requirement for Senate consent. U.S. Const. art. I, Sec. 5; see also 
  Sec. 3, infra.
      The Speaker also may be authorized to declare a recess:

     At any time during the remainder of the day. 87-2, Sept. 12, 
         1962, p 19258.
     On the following day. 86-1, May 26, 1959, p 9155.
     During the remainder of the week. 90-1, Dec. 15, 1967, p 
         37126.
     At any time on certain days of the week. 88-2, Apr. 7, 1964, p 
         7119.
     At any time on the legislative days of Friday and Saturday and 
         if necessary on Sunday. 97-1, Nov. 19, 1981, p 28211.
     At any time during the remainder of the session. Deschler Ch 
         21 Sec. 11.8.
     On a specific day to accommodate a joint meeting. 110-1, Nov. 
         1, 2007, p 29042.

                       Motions to Authorize a Recess

      Clause 4(c) of rule XVI permits the Speaker to entertain ``at any 
  time'' a motion authorizing the Chair to declare a recess. The motion 
  may be adopted by simple majority vote.
      Rule XVI gives the motion for a recess a privileged status equal 
  to that of the motion to adjourn, which is a motion of the highest 
  precedence and privilege. Manual Sec. Sec. 911, 912; see Adjournment. 
  Before the adoption of this rule in 1991, the motion to authorize a 
  recess was not privileged in the House and could be entertained only 
  by unanimous consent (8 Cannon Sec. 3354), although a privileged 
  motion to recess was permitted by rule from 1880 to 1890 (8 Cannon 
  Sec. 3356).
      A motion to authorize the Speaker to declare a recess is not 
  debatable or amendable. Manual Sec. Sec. 911, 913.

[[Page 781]]

                            Quorum Requirements

      A vote by the House to authorize the Speaker to declare a recess 
  requires a quorum. 4 Hinds Sec. Sec. 2955-2960. A motion for a recess 
  cannot be entertained if the absence of a quorum has been declared. 4 
  Hinds Sec. 2958-2960. However, when the hour previously fixed for a 
  recess arrives, the Chair declares the House in recess, even if a 
  quorum is not present. 5 Hinds Sec. Sec. 6665, 6666.


  Sec. 3 . Duration of Recess

                                 Generally

      The Speaker may be authorized by the House to declare a recess to 
  a time certain on that day (92-2, Oct. 14, 1972, p 36474), or to 
  declare a recess until a time certain on the following calendar day 
  (97-1, Nov. 20, 1981, p 28628). Overnight recess may be authorized, in 
  which event the same legislative day is retained. 98-1, Nov. 10, 1983, 
  p 32200. A recess does not terminate a legislative day, and a 
  legislative day may not be terminated during recess. 8 Cannon 
  Sec. 3356. In rare circumstances, upon the expiration of an overnight 
  recess, the House is called to order and the Chaplain offers the 
  prayer. 104-1, Dec. 18, 1995, p 37310; 107-1, Sept. 12, 2001, pp 
  16752, 16753.
      When a recess is declared, the bell and light system will so 
  indicate with six bells and six lights. Termination of a recess is 
  indicated by three bells and three lights.
      The Speaker has been authorized to declare recesses at any time 
  during a Thursday-evening-to-Monday-noon period subject to the call of 
  the Chair. 98-1, Nov. 10, 1983, p 32197. However, a recess cannot 
  extend longer than three days by House order alone, because of the 
  constitutional requirement that neither House may adjourn for more 
  than three days without the consent of the other. See Adjournment. 
  Authority for such adjournments is provided by concurrent resolution, 
  whereas adjournments of three days or less may be ordered by the House 
  alone. 94-1, Feb. 6, 1975, pp 2641, 2642.

                 Recess for a Short Time; Emergency Recess

      The Speaker is permitted by clause 12(a) of rule I to declare a 
  recess for ``a short time . . . subject to the call of the Chair,'' 
  when no question is pending before the House. The Speaker has used 
  this authority to recess the House overnight. See, e.g., 106-2, Dec. 
  14, 2000, p 26657; 107-1, May 3, 2001, pp 7134-37; 110-1, July 25, 
  2007, p 20762.
      The House stood in recess on the legislative day of September 11, 
  2001, from 9:52 a.m. on September 11 until 10:03 a.m. on September 12.

[[Page 782]]

   107-1, Sept. 11, 2001, pp 16750-52; Deschler-Brown-Johnson Ch 39 
  Sec. 2.17. As a result of the events of September 11, the House 
  adopted clause 12(b) of rule I in the 108th Congress. Clause 12(b) 
  authorizes the Speaker, even when business is pending, to declare an 
  emergency recess when notified of an imminent threat to the safety of 
  the House. This clause was amended in the 110th Congress to provide 
  the same authority to the chair of the Committee of the Whole.
      The Speaker's declaration of a recess for a ``short time'' under 
  clause 12 of rule I may follow the postponement of a question under 
  clause 8 of rule XX because, after postponement, a question is no 
  longer pending before the House. The Speaker also has the authority to 
  postpone consideration of a measure under clause 1(c) of rule XIX. 
  These authorities have become familiar scheduling techniques of the 
  majority leadership in the modern practice of the House.
      The customary inquiry by the Chair, ``For what purpose does the 
  gentle___ rise?'' does not immediately confer recognition, such that a 
  Member's mere revelation that such Member seeks to offer a motion to 
  adjourn does not suffice to make that motion ``pending'' so as to 
  prevent a declaration of a short recess. Deschler-Brown-Johnson Ch 39 
  Sec. Sec. 2.22, 2.24.

                       Emergency Convening Authority

      During any recess or adjournment of not more than three days, if 
  the Speaker is notified by the Sergeant-at-Arms of an imminent 
  impairment of the place of reconvening, then the Speaker may, in 
  consultation with the Minority Leader, postpone the time for 
  reconvening within the three-day limit prescribed by the Constitution. 
  In the alternative, the Speaker, under the same conditions, may 
  reconvene the House before the time previously appointed solely to 
  declare the House in recess within that three-day limit. Clause 12(c) 
  of rule I.
      The House has entered an order authorizing the Speaker or a 
  designee, during any recess or adjournment of not more than three 
  days, to reconvene the House at a time other than that previously 
  appointed, within the three-day limit prescribed by the Constitution, 
  based on a determination that the public interest so warrants and 
  after consultation with the Minority Leader. 112-1, H. Res. 479, Dec. 
  6, 2011, p __.


  Sec. 4 . Purpose of Recess

      Where the Speaker is given authority to declare a recess by 
  unanimous consent or a special order of business, the specific purpose 
  of the recess

[[Page 783]]

  may be stipulated. The Speaker may be authorized to declare the House 
  in recess in order to:

     Attend to a Member who has suddenly taken ill on the floor of 
         the House. 91-1, July 8, 1969, p 18614.
     Await the receipt of a message from the President. 91-1, Jan. 
         17, 1969, pp 1188-92.
     Await a message from the Senate. 91-1, Feb. 7, 1969, p 3268.
     Await a report from a committee on certain emergency 
         legislation. 91-2, Mar. 4, 1970, p 5867.
     Await a conference report. 92-1, Dec. 14, 1971, pp 46884-88.
     Await a report from the Committee on Rules. 91-2, Mar. 4, 
         1970, p 5867.
     Await Senate action on a House joint resolution continuing 
         appropriations for several departments of the government that 
         are without funds. 95-1, Nov. 4, 1977, p 37066.
     Await or attend a joint meeting to receive certain 
         dignitaries. 92-1, Sept. 8, 1971, p 30845.
     Receive former Members of the House in the Chamber. 95-2, May 
         19, 1978, p 14660.
     Permit Members to attend certain ceremonies. 93-2, Dec. 19, 
         1974, p 41604.
     Make preparations for a secret session of the House. 96-1, 
         June 20, 1979, p 15711.

      Recesses for many of the purposes outlined above, as well as for 
  unannounced purposes, are now accomplished under the Speaker's 
  authority to declare a short recess under clause 12(a) of rule I.