[Deschler-Brown Precedents, Volume 16, Chapters 32 - 33]
[Chapter 33. House-Senate Conferences]
[B. CONFERENCE MANAGERS OR CONFEREES]
[Â§ 8. Changing Conferees; Resignations]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[Page 533-546]
 
        House-Senate Conferences
 
B. CONFERENCE MANAGERS OR CONFEREES
 
Sec.    8. Changing Conferees; Resignations

Conference committees are in the nature of a "select committee" and as 
such are appointed by the Speaker.(2) Once appointed, they are in a 
sense agents of the House and must have permission of that body to 
resign or be excused.
Once they have received this permission, the Speaker can fill the 
vacancy thus created.
In the 103d Congress, the Speaker was given the authority to add or 
remove conferees after his initial appointment.(3) 
A conference committee is terminated when either House acts on its 
report or when discharged by action of the House.(4) 

Removal of Conferees
Sec.    8.1 Where several conferees could not attend an urgent conference 
meeting, the manager of the bill asked unanimous consent that they be 
removed as managers on the part of the House and that the Speaker 
appoint replacements.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
20.     House Rules and Manual Sec. 829 (1997).
 1.     Id. at Sec. 913(a) (1997).
 2.     Rule X clause 6(f), House Rules and Manual Sec. 701e (1997).
 3.     Rule X clause 6(f), House Rules and Manual Sec. 701e (1997); 139 
CONG. REC. 49, 103d Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 5, 1993 (H. Res. 5).
 4.     Rule XXVIII clause 1(c), House Rules and Manual Sec. 910 (1997).
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[[Page 535]]

Rule X clause 6(f)(5) now gives the Speaker the authority to remove 
conferees after their original appointment or to appoint additional 
conferees. This authority was added in the 103d Congress.(6) The 
request carried below from the proceedings of Dec. 15, 1980,(7) was 
made under the earlier practice, where the removal of a conferee was 
with the consent of the House.
  
MR. [JAMIE L.] WHITTEN [of Mississippi]: Mr. Speaker, inasmuch as the 
existing continuing resolution expires at midnight tonight, it is 
absolutely necessary for the Congress to act today on the further 
continuing resolution to provide financing for many departments and 
agencies. Inasmuch as several of the House conferees are not 
immediately available, I ask unanimous consent that Messrs. Smith of 
Iowa, Addabbo, and Conte, be removed as conferees on the remaining 
amendment to House Joint Resolution 637, and the Speaker be authorized 
to appoint substitute conferees.
THE SPEAKER:(8) Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from 
Mississippi?
MR. [JOHN] ROUSSELOT [of California]: Mr. Speaker, reserving the right 
to object, could the gentleman give us the names of the three Members 
who are removed from the conference?
MR. WHITTEN: . . . Excuse me, that is a matter for the Speaker. . . . 
This is the Speaker's prerogative. I was out of order on the question 
of appointing new conferees.
MR. [ROBERT E.] BAUMAN [of Maryland]: Many of us are periodically.
Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
THE SPEAKER: Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from 
Mississippi? The Chair hears none, and appoints the following 
conferees: Messrs. Murtha, Dicks, and McEwen.
Excusing Manager From Service
Sec.    8.2 House managers at a conference are excused from service on 
the committee of conference only by action of the House.
On Oct. 23, 1969,(9) the following proceedings occurred in regard to S. 
1857, a National Science Foundation appropriation bill:

MR. [GEORGE P.] MILLER of California: Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous 
consent that the gentleman from California (Mr. Bell), one of the 
members on the part of the House on the conference on the bill S. 1857, 
be excused. The 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 5.     See House Rules and Manual Sec. 701e (1997).
 6.     See H. Res. 5, 139 CONG. REC. 50, Jan. 5, 1993. 
 7.     126 CONG. REC. 34177, 34178, 96th Cong. 2d Sess.
 8.     Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr. (Mass.).
 9.     115 CONG. REC. 31198, 91st Cong. 1st Sess.
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[[Page 536]]

gentleman was called to California this morning.
THE SPEAKER:(10) Without objection, it is so ordered.
There was no objection.
THE SPEAKER: The Chair appoints the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Winn) as 
a manager on the part of the House at the conference on the bill S. 
1857, to fill the vacancy resulting from the resignation of the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Bell).
The Clerk will notify the Senate of the change in conferees.(11) 

Replacements
Sec.    8.3 When the resignation of a conferee is by unanimous consent 
accepted by the House, the Speaker then appoints a successor.
On Aug. 9, 1972,(12) the following proceedings occurred in regard to 
H.R. 15692, a bill authorizing the Small Business Administration to 
reduce the interest rate on certain disaster loans:

The Speaker(13) laid before the House the following resignation as a 
conferee:

AUGUST 9, 1972.
The SPEAKER,
House of Representatives,
Washington, D.C.
DEAR MR. SPEAKER: I hereby resign as a conferee in connection with the 
conference between the Senate and the House of Representatives on the 
bill, H.R. 15692.
Sincerely,
THOMAS L. ASHLEY.

THE SPEAKER: Without objection, the resignation is accepted.
There was no objection.
THE SPEAKER: The Chair appoints the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. 
Moorhead) as a conferee on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on 
the amendments of the Senate to the bill H.R. 15692, to fill the 
existing vacancy.(14) 
Request To Be Excused as Conferee Made by a Colleague
Sec.    8.4 By unanimous consent, a Member was excused from further 
service as a House conferee (at the request of another Member) and the 
Speaker appointed another Member to fill the vacancy.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
10.     John W. McCormack (Mass.).
11.     See, for example, 102 CONG. REC. 8198, 84th Cong. 2d Sess., May 
15, 1956; 97 CONG. REC. 10141, 82d Cong. 1st Sess., Aug. 16, 1951; and 
95 CONG. REC. 3233, 81st Cong. 1st Sess., Mar. 25, 1949.
12.     118 CONG. REC. 27520, 92d Cong. 2d Sess.
13.     Carl Albert (Okla.).
14.     See, for example, 118 CONG. REC. 8480, 8481, 92d Cong. 2d Sess., 
Mar. 15, 1972; 117 CONG. REC. 34348, 34349, 92d Cong. 1st Sess., Sept. 
30, 1971; and 116 CONG. REC. 32745, 91st Cong. 2d Sess., Sept. 21, 1970.
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[[Page 537]]

On Dec. 2, 1971,(15) Speaker Carl Albert, of Oklahoma, recognized Mr. 
John L. McMillan, of South Carolina, to make this request concerning 
H.R. 11341, the District of Columbia Revenue Act:

MR. MCMILLAN: Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman 
from Mississippi (Mr. Abernethy) may be excused as a manager on the 
part of the House at the conference on the bill H.R. 11341, and that 
the Speaker be authorized to appoint another Member to fill the vacancy.
THE SPEAKER: Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from 
South Carolina?
There was no objection.
THE SPEAKER: The Chair appoints as a manager on the part of the House 
at the conference on the bill (H.R. 11341) the gentleman from Georgia 
(Mr. Stuckey) to fill the existing vacancy thereon.(16) 
Sec.    8.5 By unanimous consent, a Member was excused from service as a 
conferee upon request of another Member, and the Speaker thereupon 
appointed a successor to fill the vacancy.
On Dec. 10, 1973,(17) the following proceedings occurred in regard to 
H.R. 11324, the Daylight Savings Time Act:

MR. [HARLEY O.] STAGGERS [of West Virginia]: Mr. Speaker, I ask 
unanimous consent that the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Stuckey) be 
excused from further service as a conferee on the bill H.R. 11324, and 
that the Speaker be authorized to appoint a Member to fill the vacancy.
THE SPEAKER:(18) Is there objection to the request of the gentleman 
from West Virginia?
There was no objection.
THE SPEAKER: The Chair appoints the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Eckhardt) 
to fill the vacancy, and the Senate will be notified of the action of 
the House.
Sec.    8.6 One of the House managers at a conference with the Senate 
was, at the request of the senior House manager and by unanimous 
consent, excused from further service as a conferee and the Speaker 
then appointed a successor.
On Oct. 23, 1969,(19) the following proceedings occurred in regard 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
15.     117 CONG. REC. 44258, 92d Cong. 1st Sess.
16.     See also 113 CONG. REC. 35134, 90th Cong. 1st Sess., Dec. 6, 
1967; and 112 CONG. REC. 5358, 89th Cong. 2d Sess., Mar. 9, 1966.
17.     119 CONG. REC. 40500, 93d Cong. 1st Sess.
18.     Carl Albert (Okla.).
19.     115 CONG. REC. 31198, 91st Cong. 1st Sess.
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[[Page 538]]

to S. 1857, the National Science Foundation appropriation bill:

MR. [GEORGE P.] MILLER of California: Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous 
consent that the gentleman from California (Mr. Bell), one of the 
members on the part of the House on the conference on the bill S. 1857, 
be excused. The gentleman was called to California this morning.
THE SPEAKER:(20) Without objection, it is so ordered.
There was no objection.
THE SPEAKER: The Chair appoints the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Winn) as 
a manager on the part of the House at the conference on the bill S. 
1857, to fill the vacancy resulting from the resignation of the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Bell).
The Clerk will notify the Senate of the change in conferees.(1) 
Letters of Resignation
Sec.    8.7 Where a Member resigns from a committee of conference to 
which he has been appointed, the consent of the House is required, and 
the letter of resignation is laid before the House and accepted. 
While a Speaker may remove a conferee, under the authority granted to 
the Speaker in the 103d Congress (by the amendment to Rule X clause 6
(f)),(2) the unilateral resignation of a manager still requires the 
concurrence of the House. 
Once a resignation is accepted, the Speaker (or a Speaker Pro Tempore, 
by unanimous consent) then can appoint a new conferee or realign the 
assignment of conferees, under the authority of the new rule. The 
proceedings of July 20, 1993,(3) are illustrative.
RESIGNATION AS CONFEREE AND AP-POINTMENT OF CONFEREE ON H.R. 2264, 
OMNIBUS BUDGET RECONCILIATION ACT OF 1993
The Speaker pro tempore laid before the House the following resignation 
as a conferee:

CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Washington, DC, July 20, 1993.
Hon. THOMAS S. FOLEY,
Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC
DEAR MR. SPEAKER: I have been named as a conferee to the Budget 
Reconciliation bill, H.R. 2264, due to my position on the House Natural 
Resources Committee. Due to unexpected time constraints in my other 
positions, Armed Services and Intelligence, I respectfully request that 
I be allowed to withdraw as a conferee.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
20.     John W. McCormack (Mass.).
 1.     See also 118 CONG. REC. 24864, 92d Cong. 2d Sess., July 24, 1972.
 2.     See House Rules and Manual Sec. 701e (1997).
 3.     139 CONG. REC. 16260, 103d Cong. 1st Sess.
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[[Page 539]]

Thank you for your attention to this matter and if you have any 
question please feel free to call me.
Sincerely,
JAMES V. HANSEN,
Member of Congress.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE:(4) Without objection, the resignation is 
accepted.
There was no objection.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: Without objection, the gentleman from Wyoming 
[Mr. Thomas] is appointed to replace the gentleman from Utah [Mr. 
Hansen] as a member of the Committee of Conference on the bill (H.R. 
2264) to provide for reconciliation pursuant to section 7 of the 
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 1994.
There was no objection.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: The Clerk will notify the Senate of the change 
in conferees.
MODIFICATIONS IN APPOINTMENT OF CONFEREES ON H.R. 2264, OMNIBUS BUDGET 
RECONCILIATION ACT OF 1993
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: Without objection, the Chair announces the 
following modifications in the appointment of conferees on H.R. 2264: 
. . . 
In the panel appointed from the Committee on Public Works and 
Transportation, Mr. Borski is appointed in lieu of Mr. de Lugo.
Vacancy by Death
Sec.    8.8 The Speaker may appoint a conferee to fill the vacancy caused 
by the death of another Member.
On Apr. 8, 1948,(5) the following proceedings occurred:

MR. [ALBERT L.] REEVES [Jr., of Missouri]: Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous 
consent that the Speaker be authorized to appoint a conferee on the 
part of the House on the bill (H.R. 2389) for the relief of Harriet 
Townsend Bottomley to fill the vacancy caused by the death of our 
former colleague from Indiana, Mr. Springer.
THE SPEAKER:(6) Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from 
Missouri? [After a pause.] The Chair hears none, and appoints the 
gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Case] as a conferee. The Clerk will 
notify the Senate of the action of the House.(7) 
Where Member Declines To Serve
Sec.    8.9 Where a Member declines to serve on a conference committee, 
the question is put to the House to excuse him and then the Speaker 
immediately appoints another Member.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 4.     Michael R. McNulty (N.Y.).
 5.     94 CONG. REC. 4255, 80th Cong. 2d Sess.
 6.     Joseph W. Martin, Jr. (Mass.).
 7.     See also 119 CONG. REC. 36222, 36223, 93d Cong. 1st Sess., Nov. 
7, 1973.
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[[Page 540]]

On Aug. 13, 1937,(8) the following proceedings occurred:

 MR. [SAM D.] MCREYNOLDS [of Tennessee]: Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous 
consent to take from the Speaker's table the resolution (H.J. Res. 437) 
relative to determination and payment of certain claims against the 
Government of Mexico, with Senate amendments, disagree to the Senate 
amendments, and ask for a conference. . . . 
THE SPEAKER:(9) Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from 
Tennessee? [After a pause.] The Chair hears none, and appoints the 
following conferees: Messrs. McReynolds, Bloom, and Fish.
MR. [HAMILTON] FISH [Jr., of New York]: Mr. Speaker, I respectfully 
decline to accept the appointment as conferee on this bill.
THE SPEAKER: Without objection, the gentleman from New York is relieved 
of responsibility as a conferee.
There was no objection.
THE SPEAKER: The Chair appoints the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. 
Martin] conferee in the place of the gentleman from New York [Mr. 
Fish].
Resignation of Conferee; State-ment on Floor
Sec.    8.10 The resignation of a conferee is "accepted" by the House, 
usually by unanimous consent; and where a manager on the part of the 
House resigned after a dispute about the scope of his involvement in a 
conference on a bill that had been jointly referred in the House to two 
committees and which had conference representation from both, he made a 
statement for the Record setting forth his reasons. 
Where the Speaker appoints conferees from two House committees, without 
delineating the portions of the matter in conference that is within 
either committee's jurisdiction, the managers can participate fully in 
all conference deliberations. 
During the conference on the bill H.R. 3474,(10) the Energy Research 
and Development Administration authorization for fiscal 1976, a motion 
was adopted in conference to limit the managers participation between 
those representing the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy and those 
appointed from the Committee on Science and Technology. The resignation 
and the statement by the resigning conferee are self-explanatory. 
----------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 8.     81 CONG. REC. 8847, 75th Cong. 1st Sess.
 9.     William B. Bankhead (Ala.).
10.     121 CONG. REC. 35980, 35981, 94th Cong. 1st Sess., Nov. 11, 1975.
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[[Page 541]]

The Speaker laid before the House the following resignation as a 
manager of H.R. 3474:

WASHINGTON, D.C.,
November 11, 1975.

HON. CARL ALBERT,
The Speaker,
U.S. House of Representatives,
Washington, D.C.
DEAR MR. SPEAKER: Please accept this as my resignation from your 
designation as a manager of H.R. 3474.
I shall set forth my reasons for resigning in a statement on the floor 
of the House today.
Respectfully,
TENO RONCALIO,
Congressman for Wyoming.
THE SPEAKER:(11) Without objection, the resignation will be accepted.
There was no objection. . . . 
MR. RONCALIO: Mr. Speaker, I was appointed by you on September 5, 1975, 
to serve as a manager on the part of the House for the conference 
committee considering the Energy Research and Development 
Administration authorization for fiscal year 1976.
Today, the conferees met for the first time and elected a chairman for 
the conference, Mr. Teague. The conferees then agreed to a motion by 
Mr. McCormack to separate the conferees into nuclear and nonnuclear 
groups each considering these respective parts of the bill. I was in 
opposition to this motion.
Mr. Speaker, the subject matter of this legislation is not divided by 
title into nuclear and nonnuclear matters. It provides funding for all 
ERDA energy programs. Nor were we named specifically by you to act as 
managers and conferees on specific titles or subject areas of the 
legislation. There were no restrictions at the time of appointment.
Mr. Speaker, I have spent the last 3 years in the House almost totally 
absorbed in energy matters, both nuclear and nonnuclear. The entire 
bill has matters in it of great importance to the people of my State 
and to me as their Representative. I could not agree with the McCormack 
motion which would have prohibited me from voting on coal and other 
fossil fuel R. & D. funding and other items of vital interest to my 
State. I, therefore, have no alternative but to respectfully resign 
this conference.
Authority of Speaker Pro Tempore
Sec.    8.11 By unanimous consent the House accepted the resignation of a 
conferee and authorized the Speaker Pro Tempore to appoint another 
Member in his place.
On Sept. 20, 1961,(12) Speaker Pro Tempore John W. McCormack, of 
Massachusetts, recognized Mr. John L. McMillan, of South Carolina:

MR. MCMILLAN: Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman 
from Mississippi [Mr. Abernethy] be 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
11.     Carl Albert (Okla.).
12.     107 CONG. REC. 20491, 87th Cong. 1st Sess.
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[[Page 542]]

excused as a conferee on the bill H.R. 5968, and that another Member be 
designated as a conferee in his place.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from South Carolina?
There was no objection.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: The Chair appoints to the committee of 
conference the gentleman from Alabama [Mr. Huddleston] vice the 
gentleman from Mississippi [Mr. Abernethy].
The Clerk will notify the Senate of the appointment by the Speaker pro 
tempore.
Resignation of Conferee Following Conviction
Sec.    8.12 The House accepted the resignation of a conferee who had 
been convicted of a felony in a federal criminal trial, where the 
Member resigning did so to comply with a resolution adopted earlier in 
that Congress expressing the sense of the House that persons in such a 
situation should refrain from participating in committee business.
On Sept. 24, 1974,(13) the Speaker laid before the House a letter of 
resignation of a conferee. The resignation was prompted by a House 
policy regarding a Member's participation in committee deliberations 
after conviction of a felony.
House Resolution 128 had been adopted(14) by the House in the preceding 
year and provided as follows:
H. RES. 128
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that any 
Member of, Delegate to, or Resident Commissioner in, the House of 
Representatives who has been convicted by a court of record for the 
commission of a crime for which a sentence of two or more years' 
imprisonment may be imposed should refrain from participation in the 
business of each committee of which he is then a member and should 
refrain from voting on any question at a meeting of the House, or of 
the Committee of the Whole House, unless or until judicial or executive 
proceedings result in reinstatement of the presumption of his innocence 
or until he is reelected to the House after the date of such 
conviction. This resolution shall not affect any other authority of the 
House with respect to the behavior and conduct of its Members. 

The provisions of this resolution were later made part of Rule XLIII, 
the Code of Official Con-
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13.     120 CONG. REC. 32420, 93d Cong. 2d Sess.
14.     119 CONG. REC. 36943, 36944, 93d Cong. 1st Sess., Nov. 14, 1973.
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[[Page 543]]

duct, and are carried today as clause 10 of that rule.(15) 
The letter of resignation and the action of the House thereon are 
included. 
RESIGNATION OF CONFEREE AND AP-POINTMENT OF CONFEREE ON S. 386 AND H.R. 
11221
The Speaker laid before the House the following communication:

WASHINGTON, D.C.,
September 19, 1974.
Hon. CARL ALBERT,
Speaker, House of Representatives,
Washington, D.C.
DEAR MR. SPEAKER: In view of my present circumstances, and because of 
the provisions of House Resolution 128, I hereby tender my resignation 
as a member of the conference committee on S. 386 and H.R. 11221.
With warmest personal regards, I am,
Sincerely yours,
FRANK J. BRASCO.

THE SPEAKER:(16) Without objection, the resignation will be accepted.
There was no objection.
THE SPEAKER: The Chair appoints the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Stark) as a conferee on the bill S. 386 to fill the vacancy resulting 
from the resignation of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Brasco), and 
the Chair appoints the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Moorhead) as a 
conferee on the bill H.R. 11221 to fill the vacancy resulting from the 
resignation of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Brasco).
The Clerk will notify the Senate of the action of the House.
Resignation of Conferee Accepted by House
Sec.    8.13 The House may accept the resignation of a conferee after the 
Speaker lays before it a letter from the resigning Member.
On July 13, 1954,(17) Speaker Joseph W. Martin, Jr., of Massachusetts, 
laid before the House the following letter from Mr. Graham A. Barden, 
of North Carolina:

JULY 13, 1954.
Hon. JOSEPH MARTIN,
House of Representatives,
Washington, D.C.
DEAR MR. SPEAKER: I hereby tender my resignation as a conferee on H.R. 
7434, H.R. 7601, H.R. 9040, and S. 2759.
Very truly yours,
GRAHAM A. BARDEN.

THE SPEAKER: Without objection, the resignation is accepted.
There was no objection.
THE SPEAKER: The Chair appoints the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. 
Kelley, to serve on the conference committee on the bill H.R. 7434, on 
the bill H.R. 7061, and on the bill H.R. 9040, and the Senate will be 
notified accordingly.
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15.     See House Rules and Manual Sec. 939 (1997). 
16.     Carl Albert (Okla.).
17.     100 CONG. REC. 10426, 83d Cong. 2d Sess.
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[[Page 544]]

The Chair appoints the gentleman from West Virginia, Mr. Bailey, to 
serve on the conference committee on the bill S. 2759, and the Senate 
will be notified accordingly.(18) 
Sec.    8.14 When a conferee submits a letter of resignation to the 
Speaker, it is not effective until laid before the House and accepted 
by that body. 
A conference committee is a select committee, and while the Speaker has 
the appointment authority under Rule X clause 6(f),(19) the House must 
accept a resignation, as demonstrated by the proceedings of Nov. 14, 
1989.(20) 
RESIGNATION AS CONFEREE AND AP-POINTMENT AS CONFEREE ON H.R. 2712, 
EMERGENCY CHINESE ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS FACILITATION ACT OF 1989
The Speaker pro tempore laid before the House the following resignation 
as a conferee:

COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY,
 Washington, DC, November 10, 1989.

Hon. THOMAS S. FOLEY,
Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC
DEAR MR. SPEAKER: As you know, on October 4, 1989, I was appointed as a 
House conferee on the bill, H.R. 2712, the Emergency Chinese Adjustment 
of Status Facilitation Act of 1989. As passed by the House on July 31 
of this year, H.R. 2712 responds to the Chinese government's repression 
of the pro-democracy movement and actions against pro-democracy 
students by granting those students a waiver from the requirement that 
they return to China for two years before being eligible to change 
their immigrant status.
It now appears that the House may be concluding the business of the 
First Session within the next few days. I would not want my absence 
from the Congress for medical reasons to impede the enactment of this 
critically needed piece of legislation, leaving thousands of Chinese 
students in doubt as to their immigration status. Accordingly, in order 
to expedite resolution of this matter, I am submitting my resignation 
as a conferee on this bill.
With every good wish, I am
Sincerely,
JACK BROOKS,
Chairman.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE:(1) Without objection, the resignation is 
accepted.
Resignations Submitted by Telegram
Sec.    8.15 The House accepted the resignation of a Member from a 
conference committee which was submitted by tele-
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
18.     See also 90 CONG. REC. 5265, 78th Cong. 2d Sess., June 3, 1944; 
and 84 CONG. REC. 10732, 76th Cong. 1st Sess., Aug. 1, 1939.
19.     See House Rules and Manual Sec. 701e (1997).
20.     135 CONG. REC. 28834, 101st Cong. 1st Sess.
 1.     James H. Bilbray (Nev.).
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[[Page 545]]

gram, and the Speaker then appointed another conferee.
On June 22, 1944,(2) the following proceedings occurred in regard to 
H.R. 4292, the 1945 Department of Agriculture appropriation bill:

THE SPEAKER:(3) The Chair has a telegram from the gentleman from 
Vermont [Mr. Plumley] resigning as a conferee on the agricultural 
appropriation bill.
Without objection, the resignation is accepted, and the gentleman from 
New York [Mr. Taber] is appointed in his stead.
There was no objection.(4) 
Notification to Senate
Sec.    8.16 The Speaker directs the Clerk to notify the Senate of any 
change in House conferees.
On Sept. 30, 1971,(5) the following proceedings occurred:

The Speaker(6) laid before the House the following resignation as a 
conferee:

WASHINGTON, D.C.
September 29, 1971.

Hon. CARL ALBERT,
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Washington, D.C.
DEAR MR. SPEAKER: On September 23, 1971, you appointed me one of the 
conferees on H.R. 9844, the fiscal year 1972 Military Construction 
Authorization bill.
Due to my schedule I will be unable to serve in this capacity, and 
hereby tender my resignation.
    Sincerely,
CHARLES S. GUBSER.

THE SPEAKER: Without objection, the resignation is accepted.
There was no objection.
THE SPEAKER: The Chair appoints the gentleman from New York, Mr. King, 
as a manager on the part of the House at the conference on the bill 
H.R. 9844, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation.
The Clerk will notify the Senate of the appointment by the Speaker.(7) 
House Notified of Senate Changes
Sec.    8.17 The House is informed by message of a change in Senate 
conferees.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 2.     90 CONG. REC. 6510, 78th Cong. 2d Sess.
 3.     Sam Rayburn (Tex.).
 4.     See also 90 CONG. REC. 7378, 78th Cong. 2d Sess., Aug. 29, 1944; 
and 86 CONG. REC. 9289, 9290, 76th Cong. 3d Sess., July 8, 1940.
 5.     117 CONG. REC. 34348, 34349, 92d Cong. 1st Sess.
 6.     Carl Albert (Okla.).
 7.     See also 111 CONG. REC. 26967, 89th Cong. 1st Sess., Oct. 14, 
1965; 110 CONG. REC. 3170, 88th Cong. 2d Sess., Feb. 19, 1964; and 104 
CONG. REC. 15436, 85th Cong. 2d Sess., July 29, 1958.
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[[Page 546]]

On Oct. 20, 1965,(8) the Record contained the following reference to a 
message from the Senate:

The message also announced that Mr. Prouty be appointed a conferee on 
the bill (S. 2118) entitled "An act to amend sections 9 and 37 of the 
Shipping Act, 1916, and subsection O of the Ship Mortgage Act, 1920" in 
place of Mr. Dominick, excused.(9) 
Rescinding Appointments
Sec.    8.18 The House agreed to a Senate concurrent resolution 
rescinding the action of the two Houses in appointing conferees and 
returning the bill to the Senate for further amendment.
On May 20, 1940,(10) Speaker William B. Bankhead, of Alabama, 
recognized Mr. Sam Rayburn, of Texas, who made the following request:

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent for the immediate consideration of 
Senate Concurrent Resolution 47.
The Clerk read the concurrent resolution, as follows:

Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That 
the action of the two Houses, respectively, with reference to the 
appointment of conferees on the bill (H.R. 8438) making appropriations 
for the Navy Department and the naval service for the fiscal year 
ending June 30, 1941, and for other purposes, be, and it is hereby, 
rescinded; and that the bill, with the accompanying papers, be returned 
to the Senate.

THE SPEAKER: Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from 
Texas [Mr. Rayburn]? . . . 
There was no objection.
The Senate concurrent resolution was agreed to.
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 8.     111 CONG. REC. 27648, 27649, 89th Cong. 1st Sess.
 9.     See also 107 CONG. REC. 16844, 16845, 87th Cong. 1st Sess., Aug. 
23, 1961.
10.     86 CONG. REC. 6463, 6464, 76th Cong. 3d Sess.
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