[Deschler-Brown Precedents, Volume 14,  Chapter 30]
[Chapter 30. Voting]
[E. Postponing Votes; Clustering Votes; Reduced Voting Time; Separate Votes]
[Â§ 53. Evolution of House Rules on Postponement and Reduced Voting Time]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[Page 11799-11810]
 
                               CHAPTER 30
 
                                 Voting
 
 E. POSTPONING VOTES; CLUSTERING VOTES; REDUCED VOTING TIME; SEPARATE 
                                 VOTES
 
Sec. 53. Evolution of House Rules on Postponement and Reduced Voting 
    Time


Introduction

    The concepts of postponing votes, clustering a series of votes, and 
of reducing voting times were introduced into the rules by the adoption 
of House Resolution 5 on the first day of the 96th 
Congress.(1) Amendments were made to Rules I, XV, XXIII, and 
XXVII.(2) The first instance where the Speaker utilized his 
new authority to postpone a series of votes to another day occurred on 
Feb. 21, 1979,(3) when the debate on a series of 10 
committee funding resolutions was conducted but where the votes were 
postponed until Feb. 26, 1979.(4)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1. 125 Cong. Rec. 7-10, 12, 13, 96th Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 15, 1979.
 2. Id. at pp. 8, 9.
 3. 125 Cong. Rec. 2906, 96th Cong. 1st Sess.
 4. Id. at pp. 3255, 3256.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Although the Speaker may not on his own volition and discretion 
reduce the times in which votes are taken with the electronic system, 
the House may authorize such action by unanimous consent or special 
order.                          -------------------

The Development of the Speaker's Postponement Authority and Its Place 
    in the Rules

Sec. 53.1 In the 96th Congress, the Speaker was given discretionary 
    authority to postpone record votes on the final passage of bills, 
    the adoption of resolutions and conference reports to a time 
    certain within two legislative days. In separate amendments to 
    Rules XI and XXVII, the authority to postpone and ``cluster'' votes 
    on resolutions reported from the Committee on Rules and on motions 
    to suspend the rules

[[Page 11800]]

    until the same or the next legislative day was clarified.

    New rules adopted on Jan. 15, 1979,(5) included the 
following authorities [those parts of the resolution relating to 
postponing and clustering votes are shown in italic]:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 5. 125 Cong. Rec. 7-9, 12, 96th Cong. 1st Sess.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Mr. [James C.] Wright [Jr., of Texas]: Mr. Speaker, I offer a 
    privileged resolution (H. Res. 5) and ask for its immediate 
    consideration.
        The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                                   H. Res. 5

            Resolved, That the Rules of the House of Representatives of 
        the Ninety-fifth Congress, including all applicable provisions 
        of law which constituted the rules of the House at the end of 
        the Ninety-fifth Congress, be, and they are hereby, adopted as 
        the Rules of the House of Representatives of the Ninety-sixth 
        Congress, with the following amendments included therein as 
        part thereof, to wit: . . .
            (2) In Rule I, clause 5 is amended by inserting ``(a)'' 
        immediately after ``5'' and by adding at the end of such clause 
        the following new paragraph:
            ``(b)(1) On any legislative day whenever a recorded vote or 
        the yeas and nays are ordered on the question of passing bills 
        or resolutions or agreeing to conference reports, or when a 
        vote is objected to under clause 4 of Rule XV on the question 
        of passing bills or resolutions or agreeing to conference 
        reports, the Speaker may, in his discretion, postpone further 
        proceedings on each such question to a designated time or place 
        in the legislative schedule on that legislative day or within 
        two legislative days.
            ``(2) At the time designated by the Speaker for further 
        consideration of proceedings postponed under subparagraph (1), 
        the Speaker shall put each question on which further 
        proceedings were postponed, in the order in which that question 
        was considered.
            ``(3) At any time after the vote has been taken on the 
        first question on which the Speaker has postponed further 
        proceedings under this paragraph, the Speaker may, in his 
        discretion, reduce to not less than five minutes the period of 
        time within which a rollcall vote by electronic device on the 
        question may be taken without any intervening business on any 
        or all of the additional questions on which the Speaker has 
        postponed further proceedings under this paragraph.
            ``(4) If the House adjourns before all of the questions on 
        which further proceedings were postponed under this paragraph 
        have been put and determined, then, on the next following 
        legislative day the unfinished business shall be the 
        disposition of all such questions, previously undisposed of, in 
        the order in which the questions were considered.''; . . .
            (11)(a) In Rule XI, clause 4(e) is amended to read as 
        follows:
            ``(e)(1) On any legislative day when reports from the 
        Committee on Rules are being considered, the Speaker may 
        announce to the House, in his discretion, before consideration 
        of the first resolution, that he will postpone further 
        proceedings on such of the resolutions reported from that 
        committee as he may designate if a recorded vote or the yeas 
        and nays are ordered or if the vote is objected to under clause 
        4 of Rule XV when the Chair puts the question on the previous 
        question or on the adoption of the resolution, until--

[[Page 11801]]

            ``(A) all such resolutions on that legislative day have 
        been considered and any debate thereon concluded, with the 
        question having been put and determined on each such resolution 
        on which the taking of the vote will not be postponed; or
            ``(B) the next legislative day, with the question having 
        been put and determined on each such resolution on which the 
        taking of the vote will not be postponed.
            ``(2) Where the Speaker has postponed votes pursuant to 
        paragraph 4(e)(1)(A) of this clause, when the last of such 
        resolutions so designated has been considered and any debate 
        thereon concluded, with the question put and determined on each 
        such resolution on which further proceedings were not 
        postponed, the Speaker shall put the appropriate question on 
        each such resolution on which further proceedings were 
        postponed in the order in which each such resolution was 
        considered.
            ``(3) Where the Speaker has postponed votes pursuant to 
        paragraph (e)(1)(B) of this clause, on the next legislative day 
        the Speaker shall put as unfinished business the appropriate 
        question on each such resolution on which further proceedings 
        were postponed in the order in which each such resolution was 
        considered.'';
            (b) Redesignate subparagraphs (3) and (4) as (4) and (5) 
        respectively. ; . . .
            (18)(a) In Rule XXVII, amend clause 3 to read as follows:
            ``3. (a) When a motion to suspend the rules has been 
        submitted to the House or has been seconded pursuant to clause 
        2 of this rule, it shall be in order, before the final vote is 
        taken thereon, to debate the proposition to be voted upon for 
        forty minutes, one-half of such time to be given to debate in 
        favor of, and one-half to debate in opposition to, such 
        proposition; and the same right of debate shall be allowed 
        whenever the previous question has been ordered on any 
        proposition on which there has been no debate.
            ``(b)(1) On any legislative day on which the Speaker is 
        authorized to entertain motions to suspend the rules and pass 
        bills or resolutions, including the last six days of a session, 
        he may announce to the House, in his discretion, before 
        entertaining the first such motion, that he will postpone 
        further proceedings on each of such motions on which a recorded 
        vote or the yeas and nays is ordered or on which the vote is 
        objected to under clause 4 of Rule XV, until--
            ``(A) all of such motions on that legislative day have been 
        entertained and any debate thereon concluded, with the question 
        having been put and determined on each such motion on which the 
        taking of the vote will not be postponed; or
            ``(B) the next legislative day, with the question having 
        been put and determined on each such motion on which the taking 
        of the vote will not be postponed.
            ``(2) Where the Speaker has postponed votes pursuant to 
        paragraph (b)(1)(A) of this clause, when the last of all 
        motions on that legislative day to suspend the rules and pass 
        bills or resolutions has been entertained and any debate 
        therein concluded, the Speaker shall put the question on each 
        motion which further proceedings were postponed, in the order 
        in which that motion was entertained.
            ``(3) Where the Speaker has postponed votes pursuant to 
        paragraph (b)(1)(B) of this clause, on the next legislative day 
        the Speaker shall put as unfinished business the question of 
        each motion on which further proceedings were postponed, in the 
        order in which that motion was entertained.''; . . .

        Mr. Wright: Mr. Speaker, I yield, for purposes of debate only, 
    30 minutes of that hour to the distinguished mi

[[Page 11802]]

    nority leader, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Rhodes), and pending 
    that, I yield myself such time as I may require. . . .
        The rules changes we propose are modest. Their thrust is to 
    assist the House in facilitating the business of the House. I think 
    basically these changes embodied in this resolution will do four 
    things:
        First, some of the changes would grant authority to the Speaker 
    to group record votes in clusters in order to expedite the 
    consideration of relatively noncontroversial legislation. The 
    purpose of this, quite obviously, is to save time. . . .
        Mr. [Robert H.] Michel [of Illinois]: Mr. Speaker, 
    consideration of our rules is an important area of discussion, for 
    they are going to determine how we proceed in this House for the 
    next 2 years.
        The rules changes proposed are complex and technical. I am 
    going to place in the Record an analysis and an expression of my 
    concern over what I consider to be the more significant changes 
    proposed by the majority, but I want to mention the two areas which 
    could lead to the greatest mischief: the postponing of votes and 
    the budget amendments.
        Mr. Speaker, the clustering of votes at the end of the day or 
    on the following day may expedite the business of this House, but 
    that practice certainly will not lead to better legislation. It 
    will actually encourage absenteeism, as was alluded to by the 
    gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Grassley), and will tend to inhibit open 
    debate and discussion.
        Mr. Speaker, votes on rules reported and suspensions can 
    actually be deferred until the next day, but it is my understanding 
    that the Speaker would give prior notice of these votes if the 
    votes would be deferred.

Sec. 53.2 In the 97th Congress, the House adopted changes to Rule I to 
    consolidate under one clause the separate authorities to postpone 
    record votes on a variety of issues.

    In the process of adopting new rules for the 97th Congress, the 
House, on Jan. 5, 1981,(7) consolidated the various 
authorities for the Speaker to postpone record votes in Rule I clause 
5. As part of the same amendment, the period of time for which a vote 
on a suspension motion can be postponed was increased from one to two 
legislative days. The new rule provided:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 7. 127 Cong. Rec. 98, 97th Cong. 1st Sess.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                 H. Res. 5

        Resolved, That the Rules of the House of Representatives of the 
    Ninety-sixth Congress, including all applicable provisions of law 
    which constituted the Rules of the House at the end of the Ninety-
    sixth Congress, be, and they are hereby, adopted as the Rules of 
    the House of Representatives of the Ninety-seventh Congress, with 
    the following amendments included therein as part thereof, to wit:
        (1) In Rule I, clause 4 is amended by adding at the end thereof 
    the following new sentence: ``The Speaker is author

[[Page 11803]]

    ized to sign enrolled bills whether or not the House is in 
    session.''.
        (2) In Rule I, clause 5(b)(1) is amended to read as follows:
        ``(b)(1) On any legislative day whenever a recorded vote is 
    ordered or the yeas and nays are ordered, or a vote is objected to 
    under clause 4 of Rule XV on any of the following questions, the 
    Speaker may, in his discretion, postpone further proceedings on 
    each such question to a designated time or place in the legislative 
    schedule on that legislative day or within two legislative days:
        ``(A) the question of passing bills;
        ``(B) the question of adopting resolutions;
        ``(C) the question of ordering the previous question on 
    privileged resolutions reported from the Committee on Rules;
        ``(D) the question of agreeing to conference reports; and
        ``(E) the question of agreeing to motions to suspend the 
    rules.''.

Special Orders Used To Regulate Deferral and Clustering of Votes; 
    Postponement Authority in Committee of the Whole

Sec. 53.3 The House for the first time, by the adoption of a special 
    order, granted the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole special 
    authority to defer requests for recorded votes, to cluster votes on 
    amendments which are deferred, and to vary the order of 
    consideration of amendments established in the special order.

    In an effort to introduce more logical consideration of major 
issues in annual defense authorization bills, and to expedite their 
consideration, the Committee on Armed Services (redesignated as the 
Committee on National Security in the 104th Congress) has requested the 
Committee on Rules to report increasingly detailed and structured 
special orders governing consideration of such measures. The rule 
adopted by the House in the 102d Congress, second session, is 
illustrative of the detailed special orders which have been utilized in 
more recent Congresses. The text of House Resolution 474 was as 
follows: (8)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 8. Portions of the rule dealing with the amendment process and voting 
        are shown in italics. 138 Cong. Rec. 13239-41, 102d Cong. 2d 
        Sess., June 3, 1992.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Mr. [Martin] Frost [of Texas]: Mr. Speaker, by direction of the 
    Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 474 and ask for its 
    immediate consideration.
        The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                                H. Res. 474

            Resolved, That at any time after the adoption of this 
        resolution the Speaker may, pursuant to clause 1(b) of rule 
        XXIII, declare the House

[[Page 11804]]

        resolved into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
        the Union for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5006) to 
        authorize appropriations for fiscal year 1993 for military 
        functions of the Department of Defense, to prescribe military 
        personnel levels for fiscal year 1993, and for other purposes. 
        The first reading of the bill shall be dispensed with. All 
        points of order against consideration of the bill for failure 
        to comply with section 302(f) of the Congressional Budget Act 
        of 1974 are waived. After general debate, which shall be 
        confined to the bill and the amendments made in order by this 
        resolution and which shall not exceed one hour equally divided 
        and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of 
        the Committee on Armed Services, the bill shall be considered 
        for amendment under the five-minute rule. It shall be in order 
        to consider as an original bill for the purpose of amendment 
        under the five-minute rule the amendment in the nature of a 
        substitute recommended by the Committee on Armed Services now 
        printed in the bill. The committee amendment in the nature of a 
        substitute shall be considered as read. All points of order 
        against the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute 
        for failure to comply with clause 7 of rule XVI, clause 5(a) of 
        rule XXI, and section 302(f) of the Congressional Budget Act of 
        1974 are waived. No amendment to the committee amendment in the 
        nature of a substitute shall be in order except the amendments 
        printed in the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying 
        this resolution and amendments en bloc described in this 
        resolution. Pro forma amendments for the purpose of debate may 
        be offered only by the chairman or ranking minority member of 
        the Committee on Armed Services. Unless otherwise specified in 
        this resolution, the amendments printed in the report of the 
        Committee on Rules shall be considered in the order and manner 
        specified in the report. Unless otherwise specified in the 
        report, each amendment may be offered only by the named 
        proponent or a designee, shall be considered as read when 
        offered, shall be debatable for ten minutes equally divided and 
        controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be 
        subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for 
        division of the question in the House or in the Committee of 
        the Whole. All points of order against amendments printed in 
        the report are waived. If more than one of the following 
        amendments relating to funding levels for the Strategic Defense 
        Initiative is adopted, only the last to be adopted shall be 
        considered as finally adopted and reported to the House: (1) by 
        Representative Dellums of California; (2) by Representative Kyl 
        of Arizona; (3) by Representative Durbin of Illinois; and (4) 
        Representative Aspin of Wisconsin or Representative Dickinson 
        of Alabama. If more than one of the following amendments 
        relating to B-2 procurement is adopted, only the last to be 
        adopted shall be considered as finally adopted and reported to 
        the House: (1) by Representative Andrews of Maine; and (2) 
        Representative Aspin of Wisconsin or Representative Dickinson 
        of Alabama. At any time after the adoption of this resolution 
        the Committee on Rules may file a supplemental report for the 
        purpose of printing additional amendments relating to economic 
        conversion and adjustments in funding levels. Amendments 
        printed in the supplemental report shall be considered as 
        though included in the original report to accompany this 
        resolution except that the consideration of any amendments 
        relating to economic conversion: (1) shall be in order not 
        sooner than one hour after the chairman of the Committee on 
        Armed Services announces from the floor a

[[Page 11805]]

        request to proceed thereto; and (2) shall begin with general 
        debate on that subject for one hour equally divided and 
        controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the 
        Committee on Armed Services. It shall be in order at any time 
        for the chairman of the Committee on Armed Services or his 
        designee to offer amendments en bloc consisting of amendments 
        printed in part II of the report of the Committee on Rules or 
        germane modifications thereof. Amendments en bloc shall be 
        considered as read except that modifications shall be reported. 
        Amendments en bloc shall be debatable for twenty minutes 
        equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking 
        minority member of the Committee on Armed Services or their 
        respective designees, shall not be subject to amendment, and 
        shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question 
        in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. All points of 
        order against amendments en bloc are waived. The original 
        proponent of an amendment included in amendments en bloc may 
        insert a statement in the Congressional Record immediately 
        before the disposition of the amendments en bloc. The chairman 
        of the Committee of the Whole may postpone until a time during 
        further consideration in the Committee of the Whole a request 
        for a recorded vote on any amendment made in order by this 
        resolution. The chairman of the Committee of the Whole may 
        reduce to not less than five minutes the time for voting by 
        electronic device on any postponed question that immediately 
        follows another vote by electronic device without intervening 
        business, provided that the time for voting by electronic 
        device on the first in any series of questions shall be not 
        less than fifteen minutes. The chairman of the Committee of the 
        Whole may recognize for the consideration of an amendment 
        printed in the report of the Committee on Rules at a time other 
        than its prescribed place in the order, but not sooner than one 
        hour after the chairman of the Committee on Armed Services 
        announces from the floor a request to that effect. At the 
        conclusion of consideration of the bill for amendment the 
        Committee shall rise and report the bill to the House with such 
        amendments as may have been finally adopted. Any Member may 
        demand a separate vote in the House on any amendment adopted in 
        the Committee of the Whole to the bill or to the committee 
        amendment in the nature of a substitute. The previous question 
        shall be considered as ordered on the bill and amendments 
        thereto to final passage without intervening motion except one 
        motion to recommit with or without instructions.

        The Speaker Pro Tempore: (9) The gentleman from 
    Texas [Mr. Frost] is recognized for 1 hour.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 9. Romano L. Mazzoli (Ky.).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Mr. Frost: Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 474 provides for the 
    consideration of H.R. 5006, the National Defense Authorization Act 
    for Fiscal Year 1993.  . .
        Mr. Speaker, in devising the rule providing for the 
    consideration of the fiscal year 1993 Defense Department 
    authorization, the Committee on Rules considered over 180 
    amendments which were submitted to the committee for possible 
    inclusion in the rule. The proposed rule not only allows the House 
    to debate all of the major policy issues associated with our 
    national defense, it also allows the House to work its will on a 
    number of amendments which deal with a variety of issues relating 
    to the Department of Defense. However, the rule providing for the 
    consideration of all these issues

[[Page 11806]]

    is necessarily complicated and I would like to take a few minutes 
    to explain to the House the procedure recommended by the Rules 
    Committee.
        Only those amendments printed in the report accompanying House 
    Resolution 474, as well as certain amendments en bloc and pro forma 
    amendments for the purpose of debate, if offered by the chairman or 
    ranking minority member of the Committee on Armed Services, will be 
    eligible for consideration. The amendments made in order in the 
    report are to be considered in the order and manner specified, and, 
    unless otherwise specified in the rule, the amendments are 
    debatable for 10 minutes each, to be equally divided and controlled 
    by a proponent and opponent of the amendment. The rule also 
    provides that unless otherwise specified, amendments may be offered 
    only by the named proponent or a designee, and provides that the 
    amendments shall be considered as read when offered, shall not be 
    subject to a demand for a division in the House or in the Committee 
    of the Whole, and waives all points of order against the amendments 
    printed in the report. . . .
        Mr. Speaker, because a number of amendments made in order in 
    the rule do deal with major policy issues, the Committee on Rules 
    has structured the consideration of two of those issues in a king-
    of-the-hill procedure. The rule provides that during the 
    consideration of amendments relating to the strategic defense 
    initiative, that each of the four amendments eligible for 
    consideration shall be debated for 30 minutes, with the time to be 
    equally divided and controlled by the named proponent and an 
    opponent. Each amendment will be debated and voted on and the last 
    amendment agreed to shall be considered as finally adopted and 
    reported to the House. . . .
        The rule also grants the Committee on Rules the authority to 
    file a sup-plemental report which will include amendments relating 
    to economic conversion and add backs of DOD funds to reflect the 
    spending levels envisioned in the fiscal year 1993 budget 
    resolution. The rule provides that the amendments printed in the 
    supplemental report shall be considered as though they had been 
    printed in the original report accompanying House Resolution 474. 
    However, the rule does provide that any amendment relating to 
    defense conversion shall not be considered until 1 hour after the 
    chairman of the Committee on Armed Services announces a request to 
    proceed to the consideration of those amendments and until after 
    the completion of general debate, not to exceed 1 hour on that 
    subject. The rule provides that general debate on the issue of 
    defense conversion shall be equally divided and controlled by the 
    chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Armed 
    Services.
        The rule provides for the consideration of two amendments 
    relating to defense conversion, but which shall be debatable for 10 
    minutes, equally divided and controlled. The first amendment will 
    be offered by Chairman Aspin, and the second, a substitute 
    amendment, will be offered by Representative Dickinson. . . .
        In order to expedite the consideration of this lengthy and 
    complicated process in the House, House Resolution 474 provides 
    that the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole may postpone

[[Page 11807]]

    a request for a recorded vote, votes may be reduced to 5 minutes 
    the time for voting on amendments after the first 15-minute vote in 
    a series of votes, and may recognize for consideration of 
    amendments out of the order in which they are printed in the report 
    accompanying this rule, but only after 1 hour's notification by the 
    chairman of the Committee on Armed Services.

Sec. 53.4 While the authority of the Chairman of the Committee of the 
    Whole to postpone and cluster votes is provided by special orders, 
    drafted to fit the specific amendment process established for a 
    particular bill, the concept of reducing voting times to five 
    minutes was incorporated into the standing rules in the 102d 
    Congress. Rule XXIII clause 2(a), permits a five-minute vote on an 
    amendment immediately following a 15-minute quorum call; and clause 
    2(c) permits the reduction of voting time on an amendment or 
    amendments where the vote comes immediately after a 15-minute vote 
    on another amendment.

    The first instance where the Chairman announced his intention to 
use the new authority in clause 2(c), Rule XXIII, occurred on May 15, 
1991.(10) During consideration of H.R. 1415, the Foreign 
Relations Authorization Act of fiscal years 1992 and 1993, a partial 
amendment tree was pending: an amendment, a perfecting amendment 
thereto, and a substitute for the original amendment. The Chairman's 
statement of his intention to have two five-minute votes, if recorded 
votes were in fact ordered, following a 15-minute vote on the 
perfecting amendment, was in fact thwarted by further debate which 
intervened after the first of the three votes. Proceedings were as 
indicated below.(11)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
10. 137 Cong. Rec. 11115, 102d Cong. 1st Sess.
11. Id. at pp. 11090, 11093, 11109.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Ms. [Olympia J.] Snowe [of Maine]: Mr. Chairman, I offer 
    amendments en bloc explicitly made in order under the rule.
        The Clerk read as follows:

            Amendments en bloc offered by Ms. Snowe:
            Strike paragraph (7) of section 101(a).
            Strike section 132 and insert in lieu thereof the 
        following:

                       sec. 132. moscow embassy security.

            (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 401(a) of the 
        Diplomatic Security Act (22 U.S.C. 4851) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (4) by striking ``Amounts'' and inserting 
        ``Except as provided in paragraph (5), amounts''; and
            (2) by adding after paragraph (4) the following new 
        paragraph (5):

[[Page 11808]]

            (5) Moscow embassy security.--Of the amounts authorized in 
        paragraph (4), $130,000,000 shall be available for fiscal year 
        1993 only for the costs of deconstruction of the partially 
        constructed new chancery of the United States Embassy in Moscow 
        to the basement level and reconstruction of a new chancery on 
        the same site.''.
            (b) Extraordinary Security Safeguards.-- . . .

        Mr. [Harold L.] Berman [of California]: Mr. Chairman, I offer 
    an amendment to the amendments en bloc.
        The Clerk read as follows:

            Amendment offered by Mr. Berman to the amendments en bloc 
        offered by Ms. Snowe:
            Page 1, after ``Strike paragraph (7) of section 101(a)'' 
        insert ``and insert the following:
            (7) Moscow Embassy.--Subject to the provisions of section 
        132, for construction of a new United States Embassy office 
        building in Moscow, Soviet Union, $130,000,000 for fiscal year 
        1992 and such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 1993.
            Page 1, strike subsection (a) (lines 2 through 16) and 
        insert the following (and redesignate subsections as may be 
        appropriate);
            (a) Limitation.--Amounts authorized to be appropriated 
        under section 101(a)(7) shall be available for obligation and 
        expenditure subject to the provisions of this section.
            (b) Comprehensive plan.-- . . .

        Mr. [Frederick S.] Upton [of Michigan]: Mr. Chairman, I offer 
    an amendment as a substitute for the amendments en bloc.
        The Clerk read as follows:

            Amendments offered by Mr. Upton as a substitute for the 
        amendments en bloc offered by Ms. Snowe:
            Strike paragraph (7) of section 101(a).
            Strike section 132 and insert in lieu thereof the 
        following:

                       sec. 132. moscow embassy security.

            (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 401(a) of the 
        Diplomatic Security Act (22 U.S.C. 4851) is amended--
            (1) In paragraph (4) by striking ``Amounts'' and inserting 
        ``Except as provided in paragraph (5), amounts''; and . . .

        Mr. Berman: Mr. Chairman, I have a parliamentary inquiry.
        The Chairman: (12) The gentleman will state it.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
12. David R. Nagle (Iowa).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Mr. Berman: Mr. Chairman, were the Berman amendment to pass, 
    would then the Upton substitute be a substitute for the Berman 
    amendment?
        The Chairman: If the Berman amendment were to be adopted, the 
    Upton substitute would be for the Snowe amendment, as amended. But 
    it would, if adopted, eliminate the Berman perfecting amendment.
        Mr. Berman: And restore the Snowe amendment with the additional 
    provisions regarding Soviet funding.
        The Chairman: The gentleman is correct.
        Mr. Berman: At this particular point, you will ask for a vote 
    on the Berman amendment. If there is a rollcall requested following 
    that vote, is there a way to deal with the Upton amendment, or do 
    we have to wait until after that 15-minute rollcall vote?

        The Chairman: The Chair would announce pursuant to clause 2(c), 
    rule XXIII its intent that if a subsequent

[[Page 11809]]

    recorded vote should be ordered without intervening business or 
    amendment or debate, that the Chair would then intend to reduce to 
    not less than 5 minutes the votes on any subsequent recorded votes. 
    The Snowe amendment and amendments thereto.
        Mr. [Harold L.] Volkmer [of Mississippi]: Mr. Chairman, will 
    the gentleman yield?
        Mr. Berman: On the point of parliamentary inquiry.
        Mr. Volkmer: Just a point of clarification.
        There is no time limit on debate; is that correct?
        The Chairman: The gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Volkmer] is 
    correct.
        Mr. Volkmer: In addition, Mr. Chairman, if the amendment of the 
    gentleman from California [Mr. Berman] is successful or not, either 
    way, to the amendment of the gentlewoman from Maine [Ms. Snowe], I 
    could still rise at the end of that, and, if recognized by the 
    Chair, be able to offer a motion at that time?
        The Chairman: The gentleman is correct, and should that debate 
    or intervening business take place, the subsequent vote will not be 
    reduced to 5 minutes.

Sec. 53.5 In the 104th Congress, the House further amended Rule I, 
    clause 5(b), to reorder and expand the list of questions 
    susceptible to postponement. In certain situations, the vote on the 
    previous question can be postponed, if the question to which it 
    applies is also subject to the Speaker's postponement authority. In 
    the 105th Congress, the House expanded the list of questions 
    susceptible to postponement in Rule I to include votes on amending 
    Corrections bills and suspension motions.

    As amended in the 104th and the 105th Congresses, Rule I clause 
5(b), which contains the authority for the Speaker to postpone votes in 
the House, provides as follows:

        (b)(1) On any legislative day whenever a recorded vote is 
    ordered or the yeas and nays are ordered, or a vote is objected to 
    under clause 4 of rule XV on any of the following questions, the 
    Speaker may, in his discretion, postpone further proceedings on 
    each such question to a designated time or place in the legislative 
    schedule on that legislative day in the case of the question of 
    agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal, or within two 
    legislative days, in the case of the other questions listed herein:
        (A) the question of adopting a resolution;
        (B) the question of passing a bill;
        (C) the question of agreeing to a motion to instruct conferees 
    as provided in clause 1(c) of rule XXVIII: (13) Pro

[[Page 11810]]

    vided, however, That proceedings shall not resume on said question 
    if the conferees have filed a report in the House;
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13. Clause 1(c) of Rule XXVIII provides for motions to discharge or 
        instruct conferees in certain situations. See House Rules and 
        Manual Sec. 910 (1995).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        (D) the question of agreeing to a conference report;
        (E) the question of agreeing to a motion to recommit a bill 
    considered pursuant to clause 4 of rule XIII; (14)
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14. Clause 4 of Rule XIII provides for the ``Corrections Calendar.'' 
        See House Rules and Manual Sec. 745a (1995).
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        (F) the question of ordering the previous question on a 
    question described in subdivision (A), (B), (C), (D), or (E);
        (G) the question of agreeing to an amendment to a bill 
    considered pursuant to clause 4 of rule XIII; and
        (H) the question of agreeing to a motion to suspend the rules.