[Deschler's Precedents, Volume 7, Chapters 22 - 25]
[Chapter 23. Motions]
[B. Motions to Postpone]
[Â§ 5. In General]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[Page 4544-4545]
 
                               CHAPTER 23
 
                                Motions
 
                         B. MOTIONS TO POSTPONE
 
Sec. 5. In General


    There are two motions to postpone. One provides postponement to a 
day certain; the other postpones the matter in question indefinitely. 
The adoption of a motion to postpone indefinitely constitutes a final 
adverse disposition of the measure to which it is applied. (See 
Sec. 8.1, infra.) Each must be applied to the entire pending 
proposition, not to a part thereof.(14)
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14. 5 Hinds' Precedents Sec. 5306.
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    The motion to postpone to a day certain may be 
amended(15)and debated, although debate is limited to the 
advisability of postponement only and may not go to the merits of the 
proposition to be postponed.(16)
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15. 8 Cannon's Precedents Sec. 2824; 5 Hinds' Precedents Sec. 5754.
16. 8 Cannon's Precedents Sec. Sec. 2372, 2616, 2640; and 5 Hinds' 
        Precedents Sec. Sec. 5311-5315.
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    Neither motion to postpone is in order in the Committee of the 
Whole, but under special circumstances absent a special rule governing 
consideration of a bill for amendment under the five-minute rule, it 
has been held in order in the Committee of the Whole to move that a 
bill be reported to the House with the rec

[[Page 4545]]

ommendation that action on it be postponed.(17)
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17. 18 Cannon's Precedents Sec. 2372; 4 Hinds' Precedents Sec. 4765.
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    The motion to postpone to a day certain may not specify a 
particular hour.(18 Business postponed to a day certain is 
in order on that day immediately following approval of the Journal and 
disposition of the business on the Speaker's table, but may be 
displaced by business of higher privilege.(1)
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18. 5 Hinds' Precedents Sec. 5307.
 1. 8 Cannon's Precedents Sec. 2614.
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