[Deschler-Brown Precedents, Volume 17, Chapters 34 - 40]
[Ch. 37. Resignations]
[C. Resignations From Committees and Delegations]
[Â§ 8. Resignations From Delegations and Commissions]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[Page 470-473]
 
                               CHAPTER 37
 
                              Resignations
 
            C. Resignations from Committees and Delegations
 
Sec. 8. Resignations From Delegations and Commissions

Sec. 8.1 A Member's letter of resignation as a delegate to an 
    international conference is laid before the House.

    On Jan. 3, 1961,(1) Speaker Sam Rayburn, of Texas, laid 
before the House two letters of resignation of Members as delegates to 
the NATO Parliamentarians Conference:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1. 107 Cong. Rec. 26, 87th Cong. 1st Sess.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                November 14, 1960.

                                                        The Speaker,

                                           House of Representatives,

                                                    Washington, D.C.

        Sir: Because of the extreme press of business at the present 
    time it is impossible for me to attend the NATO Parliamentarians 
    Conference to be held in Paris this week. Therefore, I hereby 
    submit my resignation from the House contingent.
        I wish to take this opportunity to express to you my gratitude 
    for your confidence in me in appointing me. If I may be of service 
    to you in any way I am yours to command.

              Most cordially yours,

                                                      Merwin Coad,

                                                Representative in 
            Congress.                          -------------------

            RESIGNATION AS A DELEGATE TO THE NATO PARLIAMENTARIANS 
                                   CONFERENCE

        The SPEAKER laid before the House the following communication, 
    which was read:
                                                November 14, 1960.

                                                   Hon. Sam Rayburn,

                                  Speaker, House of Representatives,

                                                    Washington, D.C.

        Dear Mr. Speaker: I sincerely regret that I must tender my 
    resignation as a delegate to the NATO Parliamentarians Conference 
    for the year 1960.
        I appreciate very much your having appointed me.

              Very truly yours,

                                                Robert J. Corbett,

                                               Member of Congress.

    The Speaker then announced to the House that pursuant to an order 
of the House authorizing him to accept resignations and make certain 
appointments, he had appointed two Members to replace the two Members 
who had resigned.

Resignations from Commissions

Sec. 8.2 The Chair laid before the House a communication from a Member 
    resigning from the House Commission on Congressional Mailing 
    Standards.

[[Page 471]]

    On Sept. 20, 2006,(1) the Speaker pro 
tempore(2) laid before the House the following 
communication:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1. 152 Cong. Rec. 18788, 109th Cong. 2d Sess.
            Parliamentarian's Note: Because his appointment to the 
        Franking Commission did not require House approval, neither did 
        his resignation. Rep. Vernon J. Ehlers (MI) was appointed to 
        fill this vacancy on the Commission. See Id. at p. 18832.
 2. Michael K. Simpson (ID).

                                         House of Representatives,
                               Washington, DC, September 19, 2006.

                                             Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
                                  Speaker, House of Representatives,
                                                     Washington, DC.

        Dear Speaker Hastert: It has been an honor and a privilege to 
    serve the House as Chair of the Franking Commission. I am grateful 
    to Chairman Ehlers for the opportunity I have had to serve in this 
    position.
        I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the majority and 
    minority staff of the Franking Commission, as we have worked 
    together to ensure the standards of the Commission have been met. 
    In particular, I would like to commend Jack Dail and Rich Landon 
    for unending dedication to the commission. The purpose of this 
    letter is to inform you that I am removing myself from the Franking 
    Commission effective today.

            Sincerely,
                                                          Bob Ney,
                                               Member of Congress.

Sec. 8.3 The Chair laid before the House the resignation of a Member 
    (the former Majority Leader) from the House Office Building 
    Commission.(1)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1. Before title 40 was codified as positive law in 2002, the statute 
        appeared at 40 USC Sec. 175.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Pursuant to statute (2 USC Sec. 2001), as well as ``recess 
appointment'' authority granted by unanimous consent on Dec. 18, 2005, 
the Chair announced the Speaker's appointment of the (new) Majority 
Leader to fill a vacancy on the House Office Building Commission.
    On Mar. 9, 2006,(2) the following occurred:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 2. 152 Cong. Rec. 3172, 109th Cong. 2d Sess.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        RESIGNATION OF MEMBER AND APPOINTMENT OF MEMBER TO HOUSE OFFICE 
                              BUILDING COMMISSION

        The SPEAKER pro tempore(3) laid before the House the 
    following communication from the Hon. Tom DeLay, Member of 
    Congress:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 3. John Campbell (CA).

                                    Congress of the United States,
                                         House of Representatives,
                                Washington, DC, February 13, 2006.
                                             Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
        Speaker of the House, House of Representatives, The Capitol, 
                                                     Washington, DC.

        Dear Mr. Speaker, I hereby resign my position as a member of 
    the House Office Building Commission effective immediately.

            Sincerely,
                                                        Tom DeLay,
                                               Member of Congress.


[[Page 472]]



        The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to 2 U.S.C. 2001, and the 
    order of the House of December 18, 2005, the Chair announces that 
    on February 13, 2006, the Speaker appointed the gentleman from Ohio 
    (Mr. Boehner) to the House Office Building Commission to fill the 
    existing vacancy thereon.

Sec. 8.4 The Speaker may be authorized by unanimous consent to accept 
    resignations notwithstanding an adjournment sine die.

    On Oct. 14, 1968,(1) Speaker John W. McCormack, of 
Massachusetts, was authorized to accept resignations (and appoint 
commissions, boards, and committees), notwithstanding adjournment of 
the second session of the 90th Congress sine die.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1. 114 Cong. Rec. 31313, 90th Cong. 2d Sess.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Mr. [Carl] ALBERT [of Oklahoma]. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous 
    consent that notwithstanding the adjournment of the 2d session of 
    the 90th Congress, the Speaker be authorized to accept 
    resignations, and appoint commissions, boards, and committees 
    authorized by law or by the House.
        The SPEAKER. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman 
    from Oklahoma?
        There was no objection.

    On Dec. 15, 1967,(2) Mr. Albert asked for unanimous 
consent that, notwithstanding the adjournment of the first session of 
the 90th Congress, Speaker McCormack be authorized to accept 
resignations (and to appoint commissions, boards, and committees 
authorized by law or by the House). There was no objection and it was 
so ordered.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 2. 113 Cong. Rec. 37190, 90th Cong. 1st Sess.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Mr. ALBERT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
    notwithstanding the adjournment of the first session of the 90th 
    Congress, the Speaker be authorized to accept resignations, and 
    appoint commissions, boards, and committees authorized by law or by 
    the House.
        The SPEAKER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
        There was no objection.

    On Oct. 22, 1965,(3) Speaker McCormack was authorized to 
accept resignations and to appoint commissions, boards, and committees 
authorized by law, notwithstanding adjournment sine die.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 3. 111 Cong. Rec. 28563, 89th Cong. 1st Sess.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Mr. [Hale] BOGGS [of Louisiana]. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous 
    consent that notwithstanding the adjournment of the 1st session of 
    the 89th Congress, the Speaker be authorized to accept 
    resignations, and to appoint commissions, boards, and committees 
    authorized by law or by the House.
        The SPEAKER. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman 
    from Louisiana?
        There was no objection.

[[Page 473]]

Sec. 8.5 The Speaker was authorized by unanimous consent to accept 
    resignations notwithstanding an adjournment to a day certain.

    On Oct. 13, 1970,(1) Mr. Carl Albert, of Oklahoma, asked 
for unanimous consent that, notwithstanding any adjournment of the 
House until Nov. 16, 1970, the Speaker be authorized to accept 
resignations and to appoint commissions, boards, and committees 
authorized by law or by the House. Speaker John W. McCormack, of 
Massachusetts, asked if there was any objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Oklahoma and there was none.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1. 116 Cong. Rec. 36600, 91st Cong. 2d Sess.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Mr. ALBERT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
    notwithstanding any adjournment of the House until November 16, 
    1970, the Speaker be authorized to accept resignations and to 
    appoint commissions, boards, and committees authorized by law or by 
    the House.
        The SPEAKER. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman 
    from Oklahoma?
        There was no objection.

Informing House of Resignations During Adjournment

Sec. 8.6 The Speaker and party leaders may be authorized by unanimous 
    consent to accept resignations from commissions, boards, and 
    committees, as authorized by law or by the House, for a stated 
    period.

     On Jan. 8, 2003,(1) the House by unanimous consent 
authorized Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, of Illinois, Majority Leader Tom 
DeLay, of Texas, and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, of California, to 
accept resignations and make appointments to commissions, boards, and 
committees during the first session, as authorized by law or by the 
House.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1. 149 Cong. Rec. 239, 108th Cong. 1st Sess.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Ms. [Deborah] PRYCE [of Ohio]. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous 
    consent that during the first session of the 108th Congress, the 
    Speaker and majority leader and minority leader be authorized to 
    accept resignations and to make appointments authorized by law or 
    by the House.
        The SPEAKER pro tempore.(2) Is there objection to 
    the request of the gentlewoman from Ohio?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 2. Dennis R. Rehberg (MT).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        There was no objection.

[[Page 474]]