[Deschler-Brown Precedents, Volume 14,  Chapter 30]
[Chapter 30. Voting]
[B. Non-recorded Votes]
[Â§ 19. Appointment of Tellers]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[Page 11568-11570]
 
                               CHAPTER 30
 
                                 Voting
 
                         B. NON-RECORDED VOTES
 
Sec. 19. Appointment of Tellers

Chair's Discretion

Sec. 19.1 The appointment of tellers was within the discretion of the 
    Chair, and he sometimes appointed the Member demanding tellers.

    On Sept. 21, 1965,(16) the House resolved itself into 
the Committee of the Whole for the consideration of a bill (S. 2300) 
authorizing the construction, repair, and preservation of certain 
public works.
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16. 111 Cong. Rec. 24593, 24635, 89th Cong. 1st Sess.
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    Following debate, Mr. John A. Blatnik, of Minnesota, rose to 
address the Chair:

        Mr. Blatnik: Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now 
    rise.
        The Chairman: (17) The question is on the motion of 
    the gentleman from Minnesota.
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17. Dan Rostenkowski (Ill.).
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        Mr. [William C.] Cramer [of Florida]: Mr. Chairman, I demand 
    tellers.
        The requisite number of Members having supported the demand for 
    tellers, they were ordered, and the Chair appointed Mr. Cramer and 
    Mr. Blatnik as tellers.

Designation of Members of Opposing Views

Sec. 19.2 In appointing tellers on a vote the Chair usually named a 
    Member on each side of the question.

    On Sept. 21, 1965,(18) following lengthy consideration 
of a bill (S. 2300) authorizing certain construction and repair on 
rivers and harbors, a discussion ensued among certain Members of the 
Committee of the Whole as to whether they should rise:
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18. 111 Cong. Rec. 24635, 89th Cong. 1st Sess.
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        Mr. [Leslie C.] Arends [of Illinois]: I should like to ask the 
    Chairman if we are going to continue tonight or not. I should 
    think, in view of what has transpired in the last couple of weeks, 
    we should go ahead and finish our business. We have been 
    inconvenienced many times. Let us keep on doing it.
        Mr. [John A.] Blatnik [of Minnesota]: We are prepared--I 
    certainly am; and, in fact, all of the Committee Members are--to go 
    ahead, but I believe in all fairness to Members who, by 
    coincidence, have a serious conflict with obligations, we should 
    not. Let me make the statement that I am prepared to move that the 
    Committee rise now. I shall not at this moment. I believe we are 
    over the hump. There are probably four amendments of any substance 
    left.
        Mr. [William C.] Cramer [of Florida]: I say to the gentleman, 
    so far as I am concerned we are here. We are prepared to go ahead 
    and finish the bill. There seems to be a great demand for these 
    bills at this time. We have an opportunity to finish this bill 
    today. So far as I am concerned, I have had a

[[Page 11569]]

    number of requests on this side that we finish the bill today. If 
    the gentleman wishes, so far as we are concerned, we are ready to 
    go ahead and finish it.
        Mr. Blatnik: Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now 
    rise.
        The Chairman: (19) The question is on the motion of 
    the gentleman from Minnesota.
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19. Dan Rostenkowski (Ill.).
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        Mr. Cramer: Mr. Chairman, I demand tellers.

    A sufficient number of Members having supported the demand, tellers 
were ordered, and the Chair appointed Mr. Blatnik and Mr. Cramer as 
tellers in light of their differing views on the motion.

Sec. 19.3 A point of order having been raised that each of the 
    appointed tellers was in favor of a particular proposition, the 
    Chair designated a Member in opposition to the measure to serve as 
    a teller.

    On Aug. 9, 1950,(20) the Committee of the Whole having 
under its consideration the Defense Production Act of 1950 (H.R. 9176), 
the question arose on an amendment to an amendment--whereupon the 
following exchange took place:
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20. 96 Cong. Rec. 12124, 81st Cong. 2d Sess.
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        The Chairman: (1) The question is on the amendment 
    to the amendment.
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 1. Howard W. Smith (Va.).
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        The question was taken; and on a division (demanded by Mr. 
    Flood) there were--ayes 80, noes 121.
        Mr. [Daniel J.] Flood [of Pennsylvania]: Mr. Chairman, I demand 
    tellers.
        Tellers were ordered, and the Chairman appointed as tellers Mr. 
    Flood and Mr. Spence.
        Mr. [Charles A.] Halleck [of Indiana]: Mr. Chairman, a point of 
    order.
        The Chairman: The gentleman will state it.
        Mr. Halleck: The gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. Spence] voted for 
    the amendment.
        The Chairman: Is there any member of the committee who is 
    opposed to the amendment? If so, will he kindly take his place as a 
    teller?
        In response to the Chair's request, Mr. Jesse P. Wolcott, of 
    Michigan, who was opposed to the amendment ``took his place as a 
    teller'' on the vote in question.(2)
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 2. For an instance in which the Chair changed the appointment of a 
        teller for reasons not pertaining to the Member's position on 
        the issue, see Sec. 22.5, infra.
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Sec. 19.4 The Chair has declined to change his designation of tellers 
    after the appointed tellers had taken their places and Members had 
    passed between them to be counted.

        On June 28, 1967,(3) the Committee of the Whole 
    having under consideration a bill (H.R. 10340) authorizing

[[Page 11570]]

    appropriations for the National Aeronautics and Space 
    Administration, Mr. Richard L. Roudebush, of Indiana, offered an 
    amendment to an amendment offered by Mr. James G. Fulton, of 
    Pennsylvania. The Roudebush amendment, which called for a reduction 
    in the amount of funds appropriated, was discussed at some length 
    after which the Chair (4) put the question; it was 
    taken; and the noes appeared to have it.
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 3. 113 Cong. Rec. 17739, 17748, 90th Cong. 1st Sess.
 4. John J. Flynt, Jr. (Ga.).
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        Immediately thereafter, Mr. George P. Miller, of California, 
    demanded tellers. A sufficient number of Members having supported 
    the demand, tellers were ordered and the Chair appointed Mr. 
    Roudebush and Mr. Miller as tellers. The Members were then directed 
    to pass through the tellers and commenced to do so.
        There being some doubt as to whether Mr. Miller was opposed to 
    the Roudebush amendment, an inquiry was directed to the Chair:

        Mr. [Joe D.] Waggonner [Jr., of Louisiana]: Mr. Chairman, a 
    parliamentary inquiry.
        The Chairman: The Committee is in the process of voting, and no 
    parliamentary inquiry can be made at this time.
        Mr. [Donald] Rumsfeld [of Illinois]: Mr. Chairman, a point of 
    order.
        The Chairman: The gentleman will state his point of order.
        Mr. Rumsfeld: Is it not correct that there should be a teller 
    in favor of the amendment and a teller in opposition?
        The Chairman: The gentleman from Illinois has asked a question 
    rather than making a point of order.
        Mr. Fulton of Pennsylvania: I am here. I am against the 
    amendment.
        Mr. Waggonner: Mr. Chairman, a point of order.
        The Chairman: The gentleman will state his point of order.
        Mr. Waggonner: Is it not necessary, under the rules of the 
    House, in the instance of a teller vote, that the Chair name one 
    Member as a teller who supports the amendment?
        The Chairman: The Chair will state that the gentleman from 
    Louisiana has not made a point of order, but rather has asked a 
    question. The Chair designated as tellers the gentleman from 
    Indiana [Mr. Roudebush], the author of the amendment, and the 
    gentleman from California [Mr. Miller]. No point was raised until 
    the vote had begun to be taken.
        The vote will proceed.

    Parliamentarian's Note: Although the Chair has sole discretion in 
the appointment of tellers, he generally attempts to appoint tellers 
who represent each side of the question, that is, those that favor the 
proposition and those that oppose it.