[Deschler's Precedents, Volume 1, Chapters 1 - 6]
[Chapter 3.  Party Organization]
[B. Party Caucus or Conference]
[Â§ 4. Adoption of Rules; Recent Changes]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[Page 160-161]
 
                               CHAPTER 3
 
                           Party Organization
 
                     B. PARTY CAUCUS OR CONFERENCE
 
Sec. 4. Adoption of Rules; Recent Changes

    [Note: Later versions of the caucus rules will be discussed in 
supplements to this edition as they appear.]
    The party caucus or conference adopts rules that govern its 
proceedings.(10) The Republicans have in the past adopted as 
the rules for the conference the rules of the preceding Congress so far 
as applicable and except as modified.(11) Democratic Caucus 
rules adopted at the commencement of each Congress have, with few 
exceptions, remained substantially unchanged for a period of many 
years. The earlier caucus rules are set forth elsewhere,(12) 
and a more recent, though substantially similar, version was inserted 
in the Record of the 92d Congress.(13) Only the significant 
changes in the rules will be noted here.(14)
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10. See 8 Cannon's Precedents Sec. Sec. 3603, 3604a, 3609, and 3610.
11. 8 Cannon's Precedents Sec. 3610. See also Riddick, Floyd M., 
        Congressional Procedure, Chapman and Grimes (Boston, 1941), p. 
        32.
12. See 8 Cannon's Precedents Sec. 3609.
13. 117 Cong. Rec. 434, 92d Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 25, 1971.
14. Further discussion of the caucus rules as they relate to specific 
        subjects is to be found in the sections that deal with such 
        subjects. See, for example, Sec. 9, infra, for discussion of 
        election of Members to committees; and Sec. 10, infra, for 
        discussion of instances in which party members will be 
        considered bound by vote of the caucus.

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[[Page 161]]

    Some changes have taken place in the caucus rules with respect to 
time and place of meeting and the agenda. Former rule 3(15) 
provided simply that ``Meetings of the Democratic Caucus may be called 
by the Chairman upon his own motion, and shall be called by him 
whenever requested in writing by 25 members of the caucus.''
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15. 8 Cannon's Precedents Sec. 3609.
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    The present rule(16)  specifies in some detail the 
conditions under which meetings will be held and the matters that will 
form the agenda.
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16. Rule 3, Democratic Caucus Rules (July 20, 1971), quoted in Sec. 3, 
        supra.
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    Present rule 4 provides, as did the former rule 4, that ``A quorum 
of the Caucus shall consist of a majority of the Democratic Members of 
the House.'' Additional language in the present rule 4, however, sets 
forth specific limits on the business that may be transacted in the 
absence of a quorum. The rule states:(17)
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17. Rule 4, Democratic Caucus Rules (July 20, 1971).
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        4. . . . If the absence of a quorum is established, the 
    chairman may continue the meeting for purposes of discussion only, 
    but no motion of any kind, except a motion to adjourn, shall be in 
    order at such continued meeting.

    Finally, with respect to persons permitted to attend meetings of 
the caucus, the former rule 10(18) prohibited all but 
certain persons from attending meetings. The present rule 
10(19)  gives to the caucus chairman some authority to admit 
persons to meetings.
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18. 8 Cannon's Precedents Sec. 3609.
19. Democratic Caucus Rules (July 20, 1971), quoted in Sec. 3, supra.
            Note: An addendum to the caucus rules as adopted in 1973 
        set forth certain procedures to be followed when it was 
        proposed that a bill be considered in the House pursuant to a 
        closed rule. The procedures to be followed in such 
        circumstances were designed primarily to afford the caucus an 
        opportunity to decide whether the bill should be open to 
        particular amendments. Some discussion of the operation of this 
        provision can be found in Ch. 21, infra, of this edition. 
        Further discussion will be found in this chapter in supplements 
        to this edition as they appear.
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