[Deschler-Brown Precedents, Volume 14,  Chapter 30]
[Chapter 30. Voting]
[E. Postponing Votes; Clustering Votes; Reduced Voting Time; Separate Votes]
[Â§ 57. Reduced Voting Time]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[Page 11850-11857]
 
                               CHAPTER 30
 
                                 Voting
 
 E. POSTPONING VOTES; CLUSTERING VOTES; REDUCED VOTING TIME; SEPARATE 
                                 VOTES
 
Sec. 57. Reduced Voting Time

Speaker's Authority--Rescinding Announced Intention To Reduce Voting 
    Time on Passage

Sec. 57.1 The utilization of the authority bestowed by Rule XV clause 
    2(c) to reduce the voting time on passage of a bill to five 
    minutes, following a 15-minute vote on a motion to recommit, is 
    completely within the Chair's discretion; and he may rescind his 
    announced decision to reduce the time at any time before the vote 
    commences.

    An illustration of the Chair's exercise of his discretion is found 
in the proceedings of Sept. 29, 1993.(14)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
14. 139 Cong. Rec. p. ______, 103d Cong. 1st Sess. Under consideration 
        was H.R. 2401, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for 
        Fiscal Year 1994.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        The Speaker Pro Tempore: (15) Without objection, the 
    previous question is ordered on the motion to recommit.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
15. Michael R. McNulty (N.Y.).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        There was no objection.
        The Speaker Pro Tempore: The question is on the motion to 
    recommit.
        The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced 
    that the noes appeared to have it.

[[Page 11851]]

        Mr. [Floyd] Spence [of South Carolina]: Mr. Speaker, I demand a 
    recorded vote.
        A recorded vote was ordered.
        The Speaker Pro Tempore: The Chair wishes to announce that a 
    recorded vote on final passage, if ordered, will be a 5-minute 
    vote.
        The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yes 
    192, noes 238, not voting 3. . . .
        The Speaker Pro Tempore: The question is on the passage of the 
    bill.
        The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced 
    that the ayes appeared to have it.
        Mr. [Robert S.] Walker [of Pennsylvania]: Mr. Speaker, I demand 
    a recorded vote.
        A recorded vote was ordered.
        The Speaker Pro Tempore: Notwithstanding the Chair's prior 
    announcement, this will be a 15-minute vote.
        The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yes 
    268, noes 162, not voting 3. . . .

--Reducing Voting Time When Votes Are ``Back to Back''

Sec. 57.2 The Speaker's authority to reduce electronic voting times to 
    five minutes where the vote occurs immediately after a 15-minute 
    vote has been expanded since the concept was first introduced in 
    the 96th Congress.

    As part of the resolution adopting new rules for the 96th Congress, 
Rule XV clause 5 was amended on Jan. 15, 1979,(16) to permit 
the Speaker to reduce the voting time to five minutes on the passage of 
a bill or adoption of a resolution or conference report if the 
electronic roll call immediately followed a 15-minute vote on a motion 
to recommit.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
16. Rule XV clause 5(b), House Rules and Manual Sec. .774bb (1995).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    e pertinent amendment included in House Resolution 5 
(17) on that date was as follows:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
17. 125 Cong. Rec. 8, 96th Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 15, 1979.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        (12) In Rule XV, clause 5, add at the end thereof the following 
    new sentence: ``The Speaker may, in his discretion, announce after 
    a rollcall vote has been ordered on a motion to recommit a bill, 
    resolution, or conference report thereon, that he may reduce to not 
    less than five minutes the period of time in which a rollcall vote, 
    if ordered, will be taken by electronic device on the question of 
    passage or adoption, as the case may be, on such bill, resolution, 
    or conference report thereon if the question on final passage or 
    adoption follows without intervening business the vote on the 
    question of recommittal.''

    e authority to reduce voting times was supplemented by amendments 
in the 101st,(18) 102d,(19) and 103d 
(20) Congresses,

[[Page 11852]]

so the rule was expanded to permit a reduction in voting time to five 
minutes immediately following a 15-minute vote in three circumstances: 
the vote on passage immediately following a vote on recommittal; the 
vote on successive amendments reported to the House from the Committee 
of the Whole following a roll call on the first of a series of such 
amendments; and on the adoption of a special order of business reported 
from the Committee on Rules where there is a 15-minute vote on the 
previous question. In the 104th Congress,(1) the permitted 
time for any underlying question which immediately follows a 15-minute 
previous question vote was established at a minimum of five minutes.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
18. 135 Cong. Rec. 72, 101st Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 3, 1989 (H. Res. 5).
19. 137 Cong. Rec. 39, 102d Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 5, 1991 (H. Res. 5).
20. The authority to reduce to five minutes the time to vote on 
        adoption of a special order reported from the Committee on 
        Rules, following a 15-minute vote on the previous question, was 
        first included in the adoption of the rules of Jan. 5, 1993, 
        139 Cong. Rec. 50, 103d Cong. 1st Sess. (H. Res. 5).
 1. Rule XV clause 5(b), House Rules and Manual Sec. 774bb (1997).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

--Reducing Time on Postponed Votes

Sec. 57.3 Where several ``clusters'' of recorded votes were postponed 
    pursuant to Rule I clause 5(b)(1), to occur ``back to back,'' only 
    the first vote in the first cluster was of the 15-minute variety 
    and succeeding votes, regardless of cluster, were reduced to 5 
    minutes.

    Where the House considered a series of motions to suspend the rules 
and then took up seriatim a number of unanimous-consent requests for 
the passage of bills and joint resolutions, the Speaker announced 
postponement of the suspension votes to follow consideration of the 
bills and then postponed the series of votes on the bills brought up by 
unanimous consent until after the votes on suspensions. The proceedings 
of May 17, 1983,(2) were as follows:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 2. 129 Cong. Rec. 12505, 12507, 98th Cong. 1st Sess.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        The Speaker Pro Tempore: (3) . . . The question is 
    on the motion offered by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
    Rostenkowski) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, 
    H.R. 2973.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 3. E (Kika) de la Garza (Tex.).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        The question was taken.
        Mr. [Dan] Rostenkowski [of Illinois]: Mr. Speaker, on that, I 
    demand the yeas and nays.
        The yeas and nays were ordered.
        The Speaker Pro Tempore: Pursuant to the provisions of clause 5 
    of rule I, and the Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings 
    on this motion will be postponed.
        The Chair will now entertain two requests for consideration of 
    joint resolu

[[Page 11853]]

    tions to be called up by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Leland). The 
    Chair will postpone the votes on suspensions until after the 
    consideration of these joint resolutions.
        Mr. [Mickey] Leland [of Texas]: Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous 
    consent that the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service be 
    discharged for further consideration of the Senate joint resolution 
    (S.J. Res. 51) designating May 21, 1983, as ``Andrei Sakharov 
    Day,'' and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
        The Clerk read the title of the Senate joint resolution.
        The Speaker Pro Tempore: Is there objection to the request of 
    the gentleman from Texas? . . .
        The Speaker Pro Tempore: The question is on the passage of the 
    Senate joint resolution.
        The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced 
    that the ayes appeared to have it.
        Mr. [Marty] Russo [of Illinois]: Mr. Speaker, I object to the 
    vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point 
    of order that a quorum is not present.
        The Speaker Pro Tempore: Pursuant to clause 5, rule I, and the 
    Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question 
    will be postponed.
        The vote will be taken after the recorded vote on H.R. 2973, 
    the last suspension vote.
        The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.
        Mr. Leland: Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the 
    Committee on Post Office and Civil Service be discharged from 
    further consideration of the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 226) to 
    designate the week of May 22, 1983, through May 28, 1983, as 
    ``National Digestive Diseases Awareness Week,'' and ask for its 
    immediate consideration in the House.
        The Clerk read the title of the joint resolution.
        The Speaker Pro Tempore: Is there objection to the request of 
    the gentleman from Texas? . . .
        The Speaker Pro Tempore: The question is on the engrossment and 
    third reading of the joint resolution. . . .

        The Speaker Pro Tempore: The question is on the passage of the 
    joint resolution.
        The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced 
    that the ayes appeared to have it.
        Mr. Russo: Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
        The yeas and nays were ordered.
        The Speaker Pro Tempore: Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I, and 
    the Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this 
    question will be postponed. The vote will be taken after the vote 
    on H.R. 2973, the last suspension vote.

    Later in the same day,(4) votes were taken as indicated:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 4. 129 Cong. Rec. 12508, 98th Cong. 1st Sess.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        The Speaker Pro Tempore: Debate has been concluded on all 
    motions to suspend the rules and on the two joint resolutions.
        Pursuant to clause 5, rule I, the Chair will now put the 
    question on each motion on which further pro

[[Page 11854]]

    ceedings were postponed in the order in which that motion was 
    entertained.
        Votes will be taken in the following order:
        H.R. 2733, de novo.
        House Joint Resolution, by the yeas and nays.
        H.R. 1416, by the yeas and nays.
        H.R. 2681, by the yeas and nays.
        H.R. 2936, by the yeas and nays.
        H.R. 2602, by the yeas and nays.
        H.R. 2973, by the yeas and nays.
        Senate Joint Resolution 51, de novo.
        House Joint Resolution 226, by the yeas and nays.
        The Chair will reduce to 5 minutes the time for any electronic 
    votes after the first such vote in this series. . . .
        The Speaker Pro Tempore: Pursuant to the provisions of clause 
    5, rule I, the Chair announces that he will reduce to the minimum 
    of 5 minutes the period of time within which a vote by electronic 
    device may be taken on all the additional motions to suspend the 
    rules on which the Chair has postponed further proceedings and the 
    two commemorative joint resolutions called up by the gentleman from 
    Texas (Mr. Leland).

Varying Voting Times by Unanimous Consent

Sec. 57.4 The House permitted, by unanimous consent, a reduction of 
    voting time to five minutes on the first of a series of postponed 
    suspension votes where that vote was to occur immediately following 
    a five-minute vote on the passage of another measure.

    The proceedings of Nov. 8, 1983,(5) illustrate the use 
of a unanimous-consent request to ``tailor'' the clustering authority 
to meet specific circumstances:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 5. 129 Cong. Rec. 31505, 31506, 31510, 98th Cong. 1st Sess.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        The Speaker: (6) The question is on the motion to 
    recommit.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 6. Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr. (Mass.).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        The question was taken; and the Speaker announced that the noes 
    appeared to have it.
        Mr. [Silvio O.] Conte [of Massachusetts]: Mr. Speaker, on that 
    I demand the yeas and nays.
        The yeas and nays were ordered.
        The Speaker: Pursuant to the provisions of clause 5 of rule XV, 
    the Chair announces that he will reduce to a minimum of 5 minutes 
    the period of time within which a vote by electronic device, if 
    ordered, will be taken on the question of the passage of the bill.
        The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 
    166, nays 244, not voting 23. . . .
        So the motion to recommit was rejected.
        The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
        The Speaker: The question is on the passage of the joint 
    resolution.
        The question was taken; and the Speaker announced that the ayes 
    appeared to have it.
        Mr. [Gerald B.] Solomon [of New York]: Mr. Speaker, on that I 
    demand the yeas and nays.
        The yeas and nays were ordered.
        The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 
    203, nays 206, not voting 24. . . .

[[Page 11855]]

        The Speaker: Pursuant to clause 5, rule I, the Chair will now 
    put the question on each motion to suspend the rules on which 
    further proceedings were postponed earlier today in the order in 
    which that motion was entertained.
        Votes will be taken in the following order:
        H.R. 2982, de novo, and H.R. 2211, de novo.
        The Chair will reduce to 5 minutes the time for any electronic 
    votes after the first such vote in this series.
        Mr. [Elliot H.] Levitas [of New York]: Mr. Speaker, I ask 
    unanimous consent that the time for the vote on the first 
    suspension, if a vote be taken, be in a 5-minute period.
        The Speaker: Is there objection to the request of the gentleman 
    from Georgia?
        There was no objection.

Sec. 57.5 By unanimous consent, waiving the five-minute minimum time 
    set by clause 5(b)(3) of Rule I, the House authorized the Speaker 
    to put remaining postponed questions to two-minute electronic 
    votes.

    On Oct. 4, 1988,(7) as the House was proceeding toward 
an adjournment, there were 40 roll call votes taken on suspension 
motions and procedural questions. After a series of 15-minute votes, 
unanimous consent was granted to reduce to two minutes the time for 
consideration of the 31 remaining suspension motions.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 7. 134 Cong. Rec. 28126, 28148, 100th Cong. 2d Sess.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Mr. [Robert H.] Michel [of Illinois]: Mr. Speaker, I ask 
    unanimous consent that after the vote on the next suspension, the 
    Speaker be authorized to reduce the time for the balance of the 
    votes for today to 2 minutes.
        The Speaker Pro Tempore: (8) Is there objection to 
    the request of the gentleman from Illinois?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 8. John P. Murtha (Pa.).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        There was no objection.
        The Speaker Pro Tempore: The Chair will state that the next 
    vote will be 5 minutes, and all votes following that will be 2 
    minutes. There will be two bells, and the vote will take 2 minutes. 
    . . .
        The Speaker Pro Tempore: The unfinished business is the 
    question of suspending the rules and passing the Senate bill, S. 
    795, as amended.
        The Clerk read the title of the Senate bill.
        The Speaker Pro Tempore: The question is on the motion offered 
    by the gentleman from California [Mr. Miller] that the House 
    suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 795, as amended, on 
    which the yeas and nays are ordered.
        This is the final vote. Let us give a great round of applause 
    to the Clerks and the Parliamentarian who did an outstanding job 
    during this whole series.
        This will be a 2-minute vote.
        The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 
    405, nays 12, not voting 14. . . .

[[Page 11856]]

In Committee of the Whole

Sec. 57.6 The Chairman of the Committee of the Whole has discretion 
    regarding which votes should be reduced to five minutes.

    Instance where the Chair, contemplating the exercise of his 
authority under clause 2(c), Rule XXIII, to conduct a recorded vote on 
the pending amendment to the bill as a five-minute vote if ordered 
without intervening business after a 15-minute vote on a substitute 
therefor, announced that another recorded vote, already ordered on an 
earlier amendment but postponed pursuant to a previous order 
(9) would also be a five-minute vote if taken without 
intervening business after the questions on the pending 
amendments.(10)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 9. On June 12, 1991, a unanimous-consent request was agreed to in the 
        House which authorized the Chairman of the Committee of the 
        Whole, during the further consideration of the bill H.R. 2508, 
        the International Cooperation Act of 1991, to ``postpone 
        recorded votes, if ordered, on any amendment to the bill until 
        later that legislative day, and that he be authorized to reduce 
        to a minimum of five minutes the period of time for recorded 
        votes after the first vote in any series.'' 137 Cong. Rec. 
        14403, 102d Cong. 1st Sess.
10. 137 Cong. Rec. 15602, 15609, 15613-15, 102d Cong. 1st Sess., June 
        20, 1991.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Mr. [Doug] Bereuter [of Nebraska]:
        Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment. It is printed in the 
    Record.
        The Clerk read as follows:

            Amendment offered by Mr. Bereuter:
            Page 705, after line 13, insert the following new chapter 4 
        and redesignate existing chapter 4 of title X (and sections 
        thereof) accordingly:

              CHAPTER 4--HORN OF AFRICA RECOVERY AND FOOD SECURITY
        SEC. 1061. FINDINGS.

            The Congress makes the following findings: . . .

        The Chairman Pro Tempore: The question is on the amendment 
    offered by the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter]. . . .
        Mr. Bereuter: Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
        A recorded vote was ordered.
        The Chairman Pro Tempore: (11) Pursuant to a 
    previous order of the House, the vote on the amendment offered by 
    the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter] will be postponed until 
    after debate on the next amendment.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
11. Jim McDermott (Wash.).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Mr. [Dan] Burton of Indiana: Mr. Chairman, I offer an 
    amendment.
        The Chairman Pro Tempore: Is the amendment printed in the 
    Record?
        Mr. Burton of Indiana: It is, Mr. Chairman.
        The Clerk read as follows:

            Amendment offered by Mr. Burton of Indiana: Page 688, after 
        line 3, insert the following: . . .

        Mr. [Robert S.] Walker [of Pennsylvania]: Mr. Chairman, I offer 
    an

[[Page 11857]]

    amendment as a substitute for the amendment, as amended.
        The Clerk read as follows:

            Amendment offered by Mr. Walker as a substitute for the 
        amendment offered by Mr. Burton of Indiana, as amended: In lieu 
        of the matter proposed to be inserted, insert the following:
            ``Limitation on Assistance''. Assistance for any fiscal 
        year under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, including 
        assistance with funds appropriated before the date of enactment 
        of this Act, may not be delivered to the Communist Party of 
        South Africa or any affiliated or associated organization. . . 
        .

        Mr. Walker: Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
        A recorded vote was ordered.
        The Chairman Pro Tempore: Pursuant to clause 2(c), rule XXIII, 
    the Chair announces that he will reduce to 5 minutes the time for a 
    recorded vote, if ordered, on the Burton amendment, as amended, if 
    the vote occurs immediately following the pending vote, and then 
    the postponed vote on the Bereuter amendment, immediately 
    thereafter, will be a 5-minute vote.
        The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were-ayes 
    279, noes 134, not voting 19. . . .
        The Chairman Pro Tempore: The pending business is the vote on 
    the amendment offered by the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Burton], 
    as amended.
        The amendment, as amended, was agreed to.
        The Chairman Pro Tempore: The pending business is the vote on 
    the amendment offered by the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. 
    Bereuter], on which a recorded vote is ordered.
        This vote will be a 5-minute vote.

    The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 410, 
noes 0, not voting 22.