    [Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 104th Congress]
    [104th Congress]
    [House Document 103-342]
    [Jeffersons Manual of ParliamentaryPractice]
    [Pages 245-249]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

                         SEC. XL.--BILLS, THIRD READING.

    [[Page 246]]

    Sec. 492. Obsolete requirements as to reading and
    passage of bills.

      To prevent  bills from being passed by surprise, the House, by a
    standing order, directs that they shall not be put on their passage
    before a fixed hour, naming one at which the house is commonly full.
    Hakew., 153.

      The usage of the Senate is not to put bills on their passage till
    noon.

      A bill reported and passed to the third reading, cannot on that day be
    read the third time and passed; because this would be to pass on two
    readings in the same day.

    Sec. 493. Obsolete parliamentary law as to third
    reading.

      At the  third reading the Clerk reads the bill and delivers it to the
    Speaker, who states the title, that it is the third time of reading the
    bill, and that the question will be whether it shall pass. Formerly the
    Speaker, or those who prepared a bill, prepared also a breviate or
    summary statement of its contents, which the Speaker read when he
    declared the state of the bill, at the several readings. Sometimes,
    however, he read the bill itself, especially on its passage. Hakew.,
    136, 137, 153; Coke, 22, 115. Latterly, instead of this, he, at the
    third reading, states the whole contents of the bill verbatim, only,
    instead of reading the formal parts, ``Be it enacted,'' &c., he states
    that ``preamble recites so and so--the 1st section enacts that, &c.; the
    2d section enacts,'' &c.

      But in the Senate of the United States, both of these formalities are
    dispensed with; the breviate presenting but an imperfect view of the
    bill, and being capable of being made to present a false one; and the
    full statement being a useless waste of time, immediately after a full
    reading by the Clerk, and especially as every member has a printed copy
    in his hand.

    [[Page 247]]
    time and passed on the same day, and it is in order to proceed with a
    bill at any time, unless the absence of a quorum be shown.
      None of the restrictions is of effect in the modern practice of the
    House of Representatives. Clause 1 of rule XXI permits a bill to be read
    a third

      In the House of Representatives there is no practice justifying the
    presentation of a breviated summary; and the procedure on third reading
    is definitely prescribed by clause 1 of rule XXI.

    Sec. 494. Committal of a bill on third
    reading.

      A bill on  the third reading is not to be committed for the matter or
    body thereof, but to receive some particular clause or proviso, it hath
    been sometimes suffered, but as a thing very unusual. Hakew., 156. Thus,
    27 El., 1584, a bill was committed on the third reading, having been
    formerly committed on the second, but is declared not usual. D'Ewes,
    337, col. 2; 414, col. 2.

      In the House of Representatives it is in order to commit a bill after
    the engrossment and third reading where the previous question is not
    ordered (V, 5562); and by clause 1 of rule XVII and clause 4 of rule XVI
    the House has preserved this opportunity to commit even after the
    previous question has been ordered.

    Sec. 495. Obsolete parliamentary practice as to
    riders.

      When an  essential provision has been omitted, rather than erase the
    bill and render it suspicious, they add a clause on a separate paper,
    engrossed and called a rider, which is read and put to the question
    three times. Elsynge's Memo., 59; 6 Grey, 335; 1 Blackst., 183. For
    examples of riders, see 3 Hats., 121, 122, 124, 156. Every one is at
    liberty to bring in a rider without asking leave. 10 Grey, 52.

      This practice is never followed in the House of Representatives.

    [[Page 248]]
    read; as also all amendments from the other House. Town., col. 19, 23,
    24, 25, 26, 27, 28.

    Sec. 496. Obsolete requirements as to reading of
    amendments.

      It is  laid down, as a general rule, that amendments proposed at
    the second reading shall be twice read, and those proposed at the third
    reading thrice

      In the practice of the House of Representatives, amendments, whether
    offered in the House or coming from the other House, do not come under
    the rule requiring different readings.

    Sec. 497. Amendments before the third reading.

      It is  with
    great and almost invincible reluctance that amendments are admitted at
    this reading, which occasion erasures or interlineations. Sometimes a
    proviso has been cut off from a bill; sometimes erased. 9 Grey, 513.

      This is the proper stage for filling up blanks; for if filled up
    before, and now altered by erasure, it would be peculiarly unsafe.

      In the House of Representatives bills are amended after the second
    reading (IV, 3392), and before the engrossment and third reading (V,
    5781; VII, 1051, 1052) but not afterwards.

    Sec. 498. Debate in relation to the third
    reading.

      At this  reading the bill is debated afresh, and for the most part is
    more spoken to at this time than on any of the former readings. Hakew.,
    153.

    [[Page 249]]

      The debate on the question whether it should be read a third time, has
    discovered to its friends and opponents the arguments on which each side
    relies, and which of these appear to have influence with the House; they
    have had time to meet them with new arguments, and to put their old ones
    into new shapes. The former vote has tried the strength of the first
    opinion, and furnished grounds to estimate the issue; and the question
    now offered for its passage is the last occasion which is ever to be
    offered for carrying or rejecting it.

      In the House of Representatives it is usual to debate a bill before
    and not after the engrossment and third reading, probably because of the
    frequent use of the previous question, which prevents all debate after
    it is ordered. When the previous question is not ordered, debate may
    occur pending the vote on the passage.

    Sec. 499. Putting the question on the passage of a
    bill.

      When the  debate is ended, the Speaker, holding the bill in his hand, puts
    the question for its passage, by saying, ``Gentlemen, all you who are of
    opinion that this bill shall pass, say aye;'' and after the answer of
    the ayes, ``All those of the contrary opinion, say no.'' Hakew., 154.

    <>   After the
    bill is passed, there can be no further alteration of it in any
    point. Hakew., 159.

      In the House of Representatives the bill is usually in the hands of
    the Clerk. The Speaker states that ``The question is on the passage of
    the bill,'' and puts the question in the form prescribed by clause 5 of
    rule I.

      This principle controls the practice of the House of Representatives.
    However, a bill may be changed if the votes on passage, engrossment, and
    ordering the previous question have been reconsidered. In addition, the
    Clerk may be authorized to make changes in the engrossed copy by
    unanimous consent.