    [Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 104th Congress]
    [104th Congress]
    [House Document 103-342]
    [Rules of the House of Representatives]
    [Pages 669-691]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 669]]

                                   Rule XXIII.

                        OF COMMITTEES OF THE WHOLE HOUSE.

    Sec. 861a. Selection of Chairman of Committee of the
    Whole; and his power to preserve order.

      1. (a) In  all cases, in forming a
    Committee of the Whole House, the Speaker shall leave his chair after
    appointing a Member as Chairman to preside, who shall, in case of
    disturbance or disorderly conduct in the galleries or lobby, have power
    to cause the same to be cleared.

      This provision, adopted in 1880, was made from two older rules dating
    from 1789 and modified in 1794 to provide for the appointment of the
    Chairman instead of the inconvenient method of election by the committee
    (IV, 4704). It was amended in the 103d Congress to permit Delegates and
    the Resident Commissioner to preside in the Committee of the Whole (H.
    Res. 5, Jan. 5, 1993, p. ----), but that authority was repealed in the
    104th Congress (sec. 212(b), H. Res. 6, Jan. 4, 1995, p. ----).
    Delegates presided in two instances during the 103d Congress (Oct. 6,
    1994, p. ----; Oct. 7, 1994, p. ----).

    [[Page 670]]
    case he reports in the regular way (IV, 4785; VIII, 2376; Aug. 22,
    1974, p. 30077); but if the committee happens to be in session at the
    hour fixed for the meeting of the House on a new legislative day, it
    rests with the committee and not with the Chairman to determine whether
    or not the committee shall rise (V, 6736, 6737).

    Sec. 861b. Functions of the Chairman of the Committee of
    the Whole.

      The  Sergeant-at-Arms attends the sittings of the Committee of
    the Whole and, under direction of the Chairman, maintains order (I,
    257). His decisions on questions of order may be appealed; and in
    stating the appeal, the question is put as in the House: ``Shall the
    decision of the Chair stand as the judgment of the Committee?'' and a
    majority vote sustains the ruling (Aug. 1, 1989, p. 17159). In rare
    cases wherein the Chairman has been defied or insulted he has directed
    the committee to rise, left the chair and, on the chair being taken by
    the Speaker, has reported the facts to the House (II, 1350, 1651, 1653).
    While the Committee of the Whole does not control the Congressional
    Record, the Chairman may direct the exclusion of disorderly words spoken
    by a Member after he has been called to order (V, 6987), but may not
    determine the privileges of a Member under general ``leave to print''
    (V, 6988). The Chairman decides questions of order arising in the
    committee independently of the Speaker (V, 6927, 6928), but has declined
    to consider a question that had arisen in the House just before the
    committee began to sit (IV, 4725, 4726) or a question that may arise in
    the House in the future (June 21, 1995, p. ----). He recognizes for
    debate (V, 5003); but like the Speaker is forbidden to recognize for
    requests to suspend the rule of admission to the floor (V, 7285). He may
    direct the committee to rise when the hour previously fixed for
    adjournment of the House arrives, or when the hour previously fixed by
    the House for consideration of other business arrives, in which

    Sec. 862. Speaker's declaration into Committee
    of the Whole pursuant to special order.

      (b) After the  House has adopted a special
    order of business resolution reported by the Committee on Rules
    providing for the consideration of a measure in the Committee of the
    Whole House on the state of the Union, the Speaker may at any time
    within his discretion, when no question is pending before the House,
    declare the House resolved into the Committee of the Whole House on the
    state of the Union for the consideration of that measure without
    intervening motion, unless the resolution in question provides
    otherwise.

      Paragraph (b) was added in the 98th Congress (H. Res. 5, Jan. 3, 1983,
    p. 34).

    [[Page 671]]
    tinue its business; but if a quorum does not appear, the Committee
    shall rise and the Chairman shall report the names of the absentees to
    the House. After the roll has been once called to establish a quorum
    during such day, the Chairman may not entertain a point of order that a
    quorum is not present unless the Committee is operating under the five-
    minute rule and the Chairman has put the pending motion or proposition
    to a vote; and if the Chairman sustains a point of order that a quorum
    is not present after putting the question on such a motion or
    proposition, he may announce that following a regular quorum call
    conducted pursuant to the previous provisions of this clause, he will
    reduce to not less than five minutes the period of time within which a
    recorded vote on the pending question may be taken if such a vote is
    ordered. If, at any time during the conduct of any quorum call in a
    Committee of the Whole, the Chairman determines that a quorum is
    present, he may, in his discretion and subject to his prior
    announcement, declare that a quorum is constituted. Proceedings under
    the call shall then be considered as vacated, and the Committee shall
    not rise but shall continue its sitting and resume its business.

    Sec. 863. Failure of a quorum in Committee of the
    Whole.

      2. (a) A  quorum of a Committee of the Whole shall consist of one hundred
    Members. The first time that a Committee of the Whole finds itself
    without a quorum during any day, the Chairman shall invoke the procedure
    for the call of the roll under clause 5 of rule XV, unless, in his
    discretion, he orders a call of the Committee to be taken by the
    procedure set forth in clause 1 or clause 2(b) of rule XV: Provided,
    That the Chairman may in his discretion refuse to entertain a point of
    order that a quorum is not present during general debate only. If on
    such call, a quorum shall appear, the Committee shall con

    [[Page 672]]
    2 was substantially changed to allow quorum calls only under the five-
    minute rule where the Chairman has put the question on a pending
    proposition, after a quorum of the Committee of the Whole has been once
    established on that day. The Chairman of the Committee of the Whole must
    entertain a point of order of no quorum during the five-minute rule if a
    quorum has not yet been established in the Committee on the bill then
    pending (and the fact that a quorum of the Committee has previously been
    established on another bill on that day is irrelevant during
    consideration (Sept. 19, 1984, p. 26082). Where a recorded vote on a
    prior amendment or motion during the five-minute rule on that bill on
    that day has established a quorum, a subsequent point of no quorum
    during debate is precluded except by unanimous consent (May 10, 1984, p.
    11869; Dec. 17, 1985, p. 37469; June 25, 1986, p. 15551; June 3, 1992,
    p. ----).
      It was the early practice for the Committee of the Whole to rise on
    finding itself without a quorum (IV, 2977), and it was not until 1847
    that a rule was adopted. The rule was amended in 1880, again in 1890
    (which included the concept that a quorum in the Committee should be one
    hundred rather than a quorum of the House (IV, 2966)), and in 1971 (Jan.
    22, 1971, p. 144). On October 13, 1972 (H. Res. 1123, p. 36012) the rule
    was amended to reflect the installation of the electronic voting system
    in the House Chamber, and on January 4, 1977 (H. Res. 5, 95th Cong., pp.
    53-70) clause

      The clause was amended again in the 96th Congress (H. Res. 5, Jan. 15,
    1979, pp. 7-16) to permit the Committee to continue its business
    following the appearance of a quorum so that the Speaker need not take
    the chair to receive the Committee's report of absentees as in previous
    practice, and to enable the Chairman to reduce to five minutes the
    period for a recorded vote immediately following a regular quorum call.
    A vote by division is not such intervening business as would preclude a
    five-minute vote under this clause (July 22, 1994, p. ----). In the 97th
    Congress (H. Res. 5, Jan. 5, 1981, p. 98) the rule was amended to allow
    the Chairman the discretion whether or not to entertain a point of order
    of no quorum during general debate only.

      The last two sentences of the clause, permitting the Chair to vacate
    proceedings under the call in his discretion when a quorum appears, were
    added on April 9, 1974 (H. Res. 998, 93d Cong., pp. 10195-99). The
    Speaker interpreted the last two sentences of this clause to permit the
    Chairman of the Committee of the Whole to announce in advance, at the
    time that the absence of a quorum is ascertained, that he will vacate
    proceedings when a quorum appears, and to convert to a regular quorum
    call if a quorum does not appear at any time during the call (May 13,
    1974, pp. 14148-49).

      The Chair need not convert to a regular quorum call precisely at the
    expiration of 15 minutes if 100 Members have not responded on a
    ``notice'' quorum call but may continue to exercise his discretion to
    vacate proceedings at any time during the entire period permitted for
    the conduct of the call by clause 5 of rule XV (July 17, 1974, p.
    23673).

    [[Page 673]]

      Under the modern practice, when a Committee of the Whole finds itself
    without a quorum, the Chairman normally directs that Members record
    their presence by electronic device. The Chair may however, in his
    discretion, order that Members respond by the alternative procedures in
    clause 1 of rule XV (alphabetical call of the roll) or clause 2(b) of
    rule XV (clerk tellers) (for the use of clerk tellers for a ``notice''
    quorum call in Committee of the Whole, see July 13, 1983, p. 18858).

      Before the installation of the electronic system, a quorum in the
    Committee was established by a call of the roll. At one time the roll
    was called but once (IV, 2967); but in the later practice it was called
    twice as on other roll calls (VI, 668). Where the Committee has risen to
    report the absence of a quorum, it resumes its session by direction of
    the Speaker on the appearance of a quorum (IV, 2968; VI, 674). The
    quorum which must appear to permit the committee to continue its
    business is a quorum of the committee and not of the House (IV, 2970,
    2971) but if such quorum fails to appear, a quorum of the House is
    required (VI, 674). It was formerly held that after the committee has
    risen and reported its roll call, a motion to adjourn is in order before
    direction as to resumption of the session (IV, 2969), but under the
    later practice the committee immediately resumed its session without
    intervening motion or unanimous consent requests (VI, 672, 673; VIII,
    2377, 2379, 2436). The failure of a quorum of the House to answer on
    this roll call does not interfere with the authority of the Speaker to
    direct the committee to resume its session (IV, 2969). The Chairman's
    count of a quorum is not subject to verification by tellers (VIII, 2369,
    2436), may not be challenged by an appeal (July 24, 1974, p. 25012), and
    he may count those present and not voting in determining whether a
    quorum is present (VI, 641). On a division vote totaling less than 100,
    the Chair has relied on his immediately prior count on a point of no
    quorum and on his observation of several Members present but not voting
    on the division vote in finding the presence of a quorum of the
    Committee of the Whole (June 29, 1988, p. 16504). No quorum being
    present when a vote is taken in Committee of the Whole, and the
    committee having risen before a quorum appeared, such vote is invalid,
    and the question is put de novo when the committee resumes its business
    (VI, 676, 677). While an ``automatic'' roll call (under clause 4 of rule
    XV) is not in order in Committee of the Whole, a point of order of no
    quorum may intervene between the announcement of a division vote result
    and prior to transaction of further business, and a demand for a
    recorded vote following the quorum call is not thereby precluded (Oct.
    9, 1975, p. 32598). Where a recorded vote is refused but the Chair has
    not announced the result of a voice vote on an amendment, and the demand
    for a division or teller vote remains possible, the question remains
    pending and the Chair is obligated to entertain a point of order of no
    quorum under clause 2(a) of rule XXIII (June 6, 1979, p. 13648).

    [[Page 674]]
    2369) and takes precedence over a motion to amend (May 21, 1992, p. --
    --); however the motion cannot interrupt a Member who has the floor
    (VIII, 2370-2371) and may be ruled out when dilatory (VIII, 2800). For a
    further discussion of the motion to rise, see Sec. 334, supra.

    Sec. 864. Rising and reports of Committee of the
    Whole.

      The presence  of a quorum is not necessary for adoption of a motion that the
    Committee of the Whole rise (IV, 2975, 2976, 4914; clause 6(b) of rule
    XV; Mar. 5, 1980, pp. 4801-02; Oct. 3, 1985, p. 26096; May 21, 1992, p.
    ----); but when the committee rises without a quorum, it may not report
    the bills it has acted on (IV, 2972, 2973), and such bills as have been
    laid aside to be reported remain in the committee until the next
    occasion, when the committee rises without question as to a quorum (IV,
    4913). A simple motion that the Committee of the Whole rise is
    privileged (VIII,

      Under clause 6 of rule XV, as added in the 93d Congress (H. Res. 998,
    Apr. 9, 1974, p. 10199), a point of order of no quorum may not be
    entertained, on a day on which a quorum has been established, during the
    period after the Committee of the Whole has risen after completing its
    consideration of a bill or resolution and before the Chairman of the
    Committee has reported the bill or resolution back to the House. The
    fact that the vote whereby the committee rises does not show a quorum
    (IV, 4914) or that a point of no quorum has been made without an
    ascertainment thereof (IV, 2974), does not prevent a report of the bills
    already acted on. The Chairman having announced the absence of a quorum
    in Committee of the Whole, a motion to rise is in order and if a quorum
    develops on the vote by which the motion is rejected the roll is not
    called and the committee proceeds with its business (VIII, 2369). The
    passage of a bill by the House is not invalidated by the fact that the
    Committee of the Whole reported it on an erroneous supposition that a
    record vote had disclosed a quorum (IV, 2972).

      (b) In the Committee of the Whole, the Chair shall order a recorded
    vote on request supported by at least twenty-five Members.

    -  (c) In the <> Committee of the Whole, the Chairman may, in his discretion,
    reduce to not less than five minutes the period of time within which a
    rollcall vote by electronic device may be taken without any intervening
    business or debate on any or all pending amendments after the vote has
    been taken on the first pending amendment.

      This clause was adopted in the 96th Congress (H. Res. 5, Jan. 15,
    1979, pp. 7-16).

    [[Page 675]]

      This paragraph was added in the 102d Congress (H. Res. 5, Jan. 3,
    1991, p. ----). A vote by division is not such intervening business as
    would preclude a five-minute vote under this clause (July 22, 1994, p.
    ----).

    Sec. 864b. Former provision for de novo vote where Delegates
    decisive.

        When the 103d Congress enabled voting by the Delegates and
    the Resident Commissioner in the Committee of the Whole, it also added a
    paragraph (d) to clause 2 of rule XXIII to provide for immediate
    reconsideration in the House of questions resolved in the Committee of
    the Whole House on the state of the Union by a margin within which the
    votes of Delegates and the Resident Commissioner have been decisive (H.
    Res. 5, Jan. 5, 1993, p. ----). When the 104th Congress repealed the
    authority for the Delegates and the Resident Commissioner to vote in the
    Committee of the Whole, it also repealed clause 2(d) (sec. 212(c), H.
    Res. 6, Jan. 4, 1995, p. ----).

      Under the former paragraph (d), whether the votes cast by the
    delegates were decisive was determined by a ``but for'' test, the
    question being whether the result would have been different if their
    votes were not counted (May 19, 1993, p.----). An amendment adopted by
    immediate proceedings de novo in the House under the former paragraph
    (d) did not disturb the sequence of a ``king-of-the-hill'' procedure
    established by a special rule waiving all points of order against
    subsequent amendments (Mar. 17, 1994, p.----).

    Sec. 865. Subjects requiring consideration in
    Committee of the Whole.

      3. All motions  or propositions involving a tax or charge upon
    the people, all proceedings touching appropriations of money, or bills
    making appropriations of money, or property, or requiring such
    appropriation to be made, or authorizing payments out of appropriations
    already made, or releasing any liability to the United States for money
    or property, or referring any claim to the Court of Claims, shall be
    first considered in a Committee of the Whole, and a point of order under
    this rule shall be good at any time before the consideration of a bill
    has commenced.

    [[Page 676]]

      The first form of this rule was adopted in 1794, and it has been
    perfected by amendments in 1874 and 1896 (IV, 4792).

    Sec. 866. Construction of the rule, requiring
    consideration in Committee of the Whole.

      To require  consideration in Committee
    of the Whole, a bill must show on its face that it falls within the
    requirements of the rule (IV, 4811-4817; VIII, 2391), but where the
    expenditure is a mere matter of speculation (IV, 4818-4821; VIII, 2388),
    or where the bill might involve a charge, but does not necessarily do so
    (IV, 4809, 4810), the rule does not apply. In passing upon the question
    as to whether a proposition involves a charge upon the Treasury, the
    Speaker is confined to the provisions of the text and may not take into
    consideration personal knowledge not directly deducible therefrom (VIII,
    2386, 2391). Resolutions reported by the Committee on House
    Administration (now House Oversight) appropriating from the contingent
    fund of the House are considered in the House (VIII, 2415, 2416).
    Authorizations of expenditures from the contingent fund, under the later
    ruling (IV, 4862-4867) do not fall within the specifications of the rule
    (IV, 4868). A bill providing for an expenditure which is to be borne
    otherwise than by the Government (IV, 4831; VIII, 2400), or relating to
    money in the Treasury in trust (IV, 4835, 4836, 4853; VIII, 2413), is
    not governed by the rule. But where a bill sets in motion a train of
    circumstances destined ultimately to involve certain expenditures, it
    must be considered in Committee of the Whole (IV, 4827; VIII, 2399), as
    must also bills ultimately authorizing officials in certain
    contingencies to part with property belonging to the United States
    (VIII, 2399). The requirements of the rule apply to amendments as well
    as to bills (IV, 4793, 4794; VIII, 2331), and also to any portion of a
    bill requiring an appropriation, even though it be merely incidental to
    the bill's main purpose (IV, 4825). Under the later practice general (as
    well as private and special) bills providing for the adjudication and
    payment of claims are held to be within the requirements of the rule
    (IV, 4856-4859).

    [[Page 677]]
    necessarily subject to the point of order that it must be considered in
    Committee of the Whole (IV, 4828, 4829; V, 5545, 5546, 5591).

    Sec. 867. Subjects not requiring consideration in
    Committee of the Whole.

      The  House may consider in Committee of the Whole
    subjects not specified in the rule (IV, 4822); for example, major
    amendments to the rules of the House have been considered in Committee
    of the Whole pursuant to special orders (H. Res. 988, Committee Reform
    Amendments of 1974, considered in Committee of the Whole pursuant to H.
    Res. 1395, Sept. 30, 1974, p. 32953; H.R. 17654, Legislative
    Reorganization Act of 1970, considered in Committee of the Whole
    pursuant to H. Res. 1093, July 13, 1970, p. 23901). While conference
    reports were formerly considered in Committee of the Whole, they may not
    be sent there on the suggestion of the point of order that they contain
    matter ordinarily requiring consideration therein (V, 6559-6561). When a
    bill is made a special order (IV, 3216-3224), or when unanimous consent
    is given for its consideration (IV, 4823; VIII, 2393), the effect is to
    discharge the Committee of the Whole and bring the bill before the House
    itself for its consideration (IV, 3216; VII, 788), and in such event the
    bill is considered ``in the House as in the Committee of the Whole''
    (VIII, 2393). When a bill once considered in Committee of the Whole is
    recommitted, it is not, when again reported,

    Sec. 868. General practice as to consideration in
    Committee of the Whole.

      Provisions  placing liability jointly on the United States
    and the District of Columbia (IV, 4833), granting an easement on public
    lands or in streets belonging to the United States (IV, 4840-4842),
    dedicating public land to be forever used as a public park (IV, 4837,
    4838), providing site for statue (VIII, 2405), confirming grants of
    public lands (IV, 4843) and creating new offices (IV, 4824, 4846), have
    been held to require consideration in Committee of the Whole. Indian
    lands have not been considered ``property'' of the Government within the
    meaning of the rule (IV, 4844, 4845; VIII, 2413). And while a bill
    removing the rate of postage has been held to be within the rule as
    ``involving a tax or charge'' (IV, 4861), taxes on bank circulation have
    not been so considered (IV, 4854, 4855).

      The mere making of a unanimous consent request to dispense with the
    reading of an amendment and to revise and extend remarks thereon is not
    such intervening business as would render a point of order untimely,
    where the Member making the point of order is on his feet seeking
    recognition (July 16, 1991, p. ----; see Procedure, ch. 31, sec. 5.7).

    Sec. 869. Order of business in Committee of the
    Whole.

      4. In  Committees of the Whole House business on their calendars may
    be taken up in regular order, or in such order as the committee may
    determine, unless the bill to be considered was determined by the House
    at the time of going into committee, but bills for raising revenue,
    general appropriation bills, and bills for the improvement of rivers and
    harbors shall have precedence.

      This rule applies to the two committees of the whole which have been
    established by the practice of the House (IV, 4705), the Committee of
    the Whole House on the state of the Union, which considers public bills,
    and the Committee of the Whole House, which considers private business
    (IV, 3115). The early practice left the order of taking up bills to be
    determined entirely by the committee, but in 1844 the House began by
    rule to regulate the order, and in 1880 adopted the present rule (IV,
    4729). The latter portion of the rule is rarely used, since the ordinary
    practice is to consider general appropriation bills under clause 9 of
    rule XVI, which gives privilege to motions to go into committee to
    consider a designated bill of this class (IV, 3072).

    [[Page 678]]
    (IV, 4730) or a motion to take up a specified bill out of its order
    (IV, 4731, 4732; VIII, 2333). Except in cases wherein the rules make
    specific provisions therefor a motion is not in order in the House to
    fix the order in which business on the calendars of the Committee of the
    Whole shall be taken up (IV, 4733). The Committee of the Whole having
    voted to consider a particular bill, and consideration having begun, a
    motion to reconsider or change that vote is not in order (IV, 4765).
    When there is unfinished business in Committee of the Whole, it is
    usually first in order (IV, 4735; VIII, 2334).

    -  5. (a) When <> general debate is closed by
    order of the House, any Member shall be allowed five minutes to explain
    any amendment he may offer, after which the Member who shall first
    obtain the floor shall be allowed to speak five minutes in opposition to
    it, and there shall be no further debate thereon, but the same privilege
    of debate shall be allowed in favor of and against any amendment that
    may be offered to an amendment; and neither an amendment nor an
    amendment to an amendment shall be withdrawn by the mover thereof unless
    by the unanimous consent of the committee. Upon the offering of any
    amendment by a Member, when the House is meeting in the Committee of the
    Whole, the Clerk shall promptly transmit to the majority committee table
    five copies of the amendment and five copies to the minority committee
    table. Further, the Clerk shall deliver at least one copy of the
    amendment to the majority cloak room and at least one copy to the
    minority cloak room.

      The power of the committee to determine the order of considering bills
    on its calendar is construed to authorize a motion to establish an order

    [[Page 679]]
    of the Whole both as to the bill generally and also as to any
    amendment; but in 1841 the rule that no Member should speak more than an
    hour was applied both to the Committee of the Whole and the House. At
    the same time another rule was adopted to prevent indefinite
    prolongation of debate in Committee of the Whole by permitting the House
    by majority vote to order the discharge of the Committee of the Whole
    from the consideration of a bill after acting, without debate, on
    pending amendments and any other amendments that might be offered. The
    effect of this was to empower the House to close general debate at any
    time after it had actually begun in the committee; and thereby to
    require amendments to be voted on without debate. In 1847 a rule
    provided that any Member proposing an amendment should have five minutes
    in which to explain it, and in 1850 an amendment to the rule permitted
    also five minutes in opposition and guarded against abuse by forbidding
    the withdrawal of an amendment when once offered (V, 5221). In the 104th
    Congress the Speaker announced his intention to strictly enforce time
    limitations on debate (Jan. 4, 1995, p. ----). The last two sentences of
    this clause, placing upon the Clerk the responsibility for providing
    copies of amendments, was part of the Legislative Reorganization Act of
    1970 (sec. 124; 84 Stat. 1140) and was added to the rule in the 92d
    Congress (H. Res. 5, Jan. 22, 1971, p. 144). The fact that copies of an
    amendment have not been made available as required in this clause is not
    grounds for a point of order against the amendment (June 21, 1974, p.
    20609; Mar. 25, 1976, p. 7997).
      A rule of 1789 provided that bills should be read and debated in
    Committee of the Whole and in the House by clauses. Although that rule
    has disappeared, the practice continues in Committee of the Whole,
    although not in the House. Originally there was unlimited debate in
    Committee

    [[Page 680]]
    time is present at the appropriate time during general debate in
    Committee of the Whole, the Chair may presume the time to have been
    yielded back (June 11, 1984, p. 15744). Motions for disposition of the
    bill are not in order before general debate is closed (IV, 4778); nor
    may a Member, in time yielded to him for general debate, move that the
    Committee rise (May 25, 1967, p. 14121) or yield to another for such
    motion (Feb. 22, 1950, p. 2178).-

    Sec. 871. Motion to close general debate in
    Committee of the Whole.

      The motion  to close general debate in Committee of the
    Whole, successor in the practice to the motion to discharge provided by
    the rule of 1841, is made in the House pending the motion that the House
    resolve itself into committee, and not after the House has voted to go
    into committee (V, 5208); and though not debatable, the previous
    question is sometimes ordered on it to prevent amendment (V, 5203); and
    in case the previous question is ordered, the 40 minutes debate under
    clause 2 of rule XXVII is not allowed (VIII, 2555, 2690). General debate
    must have already begun in Committee of the Whole before the motion to
    limit it is in order in the House (V, 5204-5206). The motion may not
    apply to a series of bills (V, 5209) and the motion in the House to
    limit debate on a bill in the Committee of the Whole must apply to the
    whole and not to a part of a bill (V, 5207). A proposition for a
    division of time may not be made as a part of it (V, 5210, 5211). The
    motion may not be made in Committee of the Whole (V, 5217; VIII, 2548);
    but in absence of an order by the House the Committee of the Whole may
    be unanimous consent determine as to general debate (V, 5232; VIII,
    2553). Where the House has fixed the time the committee may not, even by
    unanimous consent, extend it (V, 5212-5216; VIII, 2321, 2550; Mar. 27,
    1984, p. 6599). The general debate must close before amendments may be
    offered (IV, 4744; V, 5221); and it is closed by the fact that no Member
    desires to participate further (IV, 4745). Where no member of a
    committee designated to control

    [[Page 681]]
    ponent and an opponent, the five-minute rule is abrogated and the
    Members controllng the debate may yield and reserve time; whereas debate
    time on amendments under the five-minute rule cannot be reserved (Aug.
    1, 1990, p. ----). A Member recognized under the five-minute rule may
    not yield to another Member to offer an amendment (Dec. 12, 14, 1973,
    pp. 41171, 41716; Sept. 8, 1976, p. 29243; Mar. 7, 1995, p. ----).

    Sec. 872. Reading and amendment under the
    fiveminute rule.

      The reading  of the bill for amendment is not specifically
    required by the present form of the rule; but is done under a practice
    which was originally instituted by the rule of 1789 and has continued,
    although the rule was eliminated, undoubtedly by inadvertence, in the
    codification of 1880 (V, 5221). Revenue, general appropriation,
    lighthouse, and river and harbor bills are generally read by paragraphs;
    other bills by sections (IV, 4738, 4740); and while the matter is very
    largely in the discretion of the Chair (VIII, 2341, 2344, 2346), the
    Committee of the Whole has overruled his decision (VIII, 2347). A bill
    (or the remainder of a bill) may be considered as having been read and
    open to amendment by unanimous consent but not by motion (June 18, 1976,
    p. 19296). A Senate amendment, however, is read in entirety, and not by
    either paragraphs or sections (V, 6194) and an amendment in the nature
    of a substitute offered from the floor must also be read in its entirety
    and is then open to amendment at any point, and a unanimous consent
    request in Committee of the Whole that it be read by sections for
    amendment is not in order (Mar. 25, 1975, p. 8490). The Committee of the
    Whole may not, even by unanimous consent, prohibit the offering of an
    amendment otherwise in order under the five-minute rule (July 31, 1984,
    p. 21701; Mar. 7, 1995, p. ----). When a paragraph or section has been
    passed it is not in order to return thereto (IV, 4742, 4743) except by
    unanimous consent (IV, 4746, 4747; Deschler's Precedents, vol. 8, ch.
    26, sec. 2.26) or when, the reading of the bill being concluded and a
    motion to rise being decided in the negative, the committee on motion
    votes to return (IV, 4748). Where a bill is considered as read and open
    to amendment at any point, adoption of an amendment adding a new section
    at the end of the bill does not preclude subsquent amendments to
    previous sections of the bill (Apr. 17, 1986, p. 7861). But the chairman
    may direct a return to a section whereon, by error, no action was had on
    a pending amendment (IV, 4750). Points of order against a paragraph
    should be made before the next paragraph is read (V, 6931; VIII, 2351).
    The paragraph or section having been read, and an amendment offered, the
    right to explain or oppose that amendment has precedence of a motion to
    amend it (IV, 4751). In this debate recognitions are governed by the
    conditions of the pending question rather than by the general relations
    of majority and minority (V, 5223). The Member recognized may not yield
    time (V, 5035-5037; May 8, 1987, p. 11832; Dec. 10, 1987, p. 34686) and
    must confine himself to the subject (V, 5240-5256; VIII, 2591). Where
    debate on an amendment is limited or allocated by special order to a pro

      Where the Chair recognizes the proponent of an amendment to propound a
    unanimous consent request to modify the text of the amendment before
    commencing debate thereon, the Chair does not charge time consumed under
    a reservation of objection against the proponent's time for debate on
    the amendment (Feb. 3, 1993, p. ----; May 27, 1993, p. ----).-

    [[Page 682]]

    Sec. 873a. Pro forma amendments under the fiveminute
    rule.

      The pro  forma amendment to ``strike out the last word'' has long been
    used for purposes of debate or explanation where an actual amendment is
    not contemplated (V, 5778; VIII, 2591); but a pro forma amendment must
    be voted on unless withdrawn (VIII, 2874). A Member who has occupied
    five minutes on a pro forma amendment may not lengthen this time by
    making another pro forma amendment (V, 5222; VIII, 2560), nor may he
    then extend this time by offering a substantive amendment while other
    Members are seeking recognition (July 28, 1965, p. 18631). A Member
    recognized to offer a pro forma amendment under the five-minute rule may
    not during that time offer a substantive amendment but must be
    separately recognized for that purpose by the Chair (Nov. 19, 1987, p.
    32880). A Member may speak in opposition to a pending amendment and
    subsequently offer a pro forma amendment and debate that (June 30, 1955,
    p. 9614); a Member may offer a pro forma amendment to debate a second
    degree amendment and then offer another pro forma amendment to debate
    the underlying first degree amendment (June 28, 1995, p. ----); and a
    Member who has debated a substantive amendment may thereafter rise in
    opposition to a pro forma amendment thereto (July 20, 1951, p. 8566). A
    Member who has offered a substantive amendment and then debated it for
    five minutes may not extend his time by offering a pro forma amendment,
    as it is not in order for the offeror of an amendment to amend his own
    amendment except by unanimous consent (Oct. 14, 1987, p. 27898). A pro
    forma amendment may be offered after a substitute has been adopted and
    before the vote on the amendment, as amended, by unanimous consent only,
    since the amendment has been amended in its entirety and no further
    amendments, including pro forma amendments, are in order (Oct. 18, 1983,
    p. 28185; June 28, 1995, p. ----). A Member recognized on a pro forma
    amendment may not allocate or reserve time, though he may in yielding
    indicate to the Chair when he intends to reclaim his time (May 19, 1987,
    p. 12811; July 13, 1994, p. ----). The Chair endeavors to alternate
    recognition to offer pro forma amendments between majority and minority
    Members (giving priority to committee members) rather than between sides
    of the question (Mar. 21, 1994, p. ----).

    Sec. 873b. Motion to dispense with reading.

      (b) It  shall be
    in order to move in the Committee of the Whole to dispense with the
    reading of an amendment if the amendment has been printed in the bill as
    reported from a committee, or if any Member shall have caused the
    amendment to be printed in the Congressional Record, and to be submitted
    to the clerk, or to any responsible staff member designated by the
    Chairman, of the reporting committee or committees, at least one day
    prior to floor consideration, and said motion shall be decided without
    debate.

      Paragraph (b) was added in the 97th Congress (H. Res. 5, Jan. 5, 1981,
    pp. 98-113) to permit a motion to dispense with the reading of certain
    amendments in the Committee of the Whole.

    Sec. 873c. Unfunded mandates.

      (c) In the  consideration of
    any measure for amendment in the Committee of the Whole containing any
    Federal mandate the direct costs of which exceed the threshold in
    section 424(a)(1) of the Unfunded Mandate[s] Reform Act of 1995, it
    shall always be in order, unless specifically waived by terms of a rule
    governing consideration of that measure, to move to strike such Federal
    mandate from the portion of the bill then open to amendment.

    -
    [[Page 683]]

      Paragraph (c) was added by the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
    (sec. 107(a), P.L. 104-4; 109 Stat. 63), to be effective on January 1,
    1996, or 90 days after appropriations are made available to the
    Congressional Budget Office pursuant to that Act, whichever is earlier.
    The section 424(a)(1) cited in the rule is actually in part B to title
    IV of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 658c(a)(1)), as
    added by the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (sec. 101, P.L. 104-4;
    109 Stat. 50-60).

    [[Page 684]]
    ted for printing in that portion of the Record shall be given numerical
    designations in the order printed.

    Sec. 874. Closing the fiveminute debate in
    Committee of the Whole.

      6. The committee  may, by the vote of a majority of the Members
    present, at any time after the five minutes' debate has begun upon
    proposed amendments to any section or paragraph of a bill, close all
    debate upon such section or paragraph or, at its election, upon the
    pending amendments only (which motion shall be decided without debate);
    but this shall not preclude further amendment, to be decided without
    debate. However, if debate is closed on any section or paragraph under
    this clause before there has been debate on any amendment which any
    Member shall have caused to be printed in the Congressional Record after
    the reporting of the bill by the committee but at least one day prior to
    floor consideration of such amendment, the Member who caused such
    amendment to be printed in the Record shall be given five minutes in
    which to explain such amendment, after which the first person to obtain
    the floor shall be given five minutes in opposition to it, and there
    shall be no further debate thereon; but such time for debate shall not
    be allowed when the offering of such amendment is dilatory. Material
    placed in the Record pursuant to this provision shall indicate the full
    text of the proposed amendment, the name of the proponent Member, the
    number of the bill to which it will be offered and the point in the bill
    or amendment thereto where the amendment is intended to be offered, and
    shall appear in a portion of the Record designated for that purpose. All
    amendments to a specified measure submit

      This clause was adopted in 1860, with amendment in 1880 and 1885 (V,
    5221, 5224). The second sentence of this clause, permitting ten minutes
    debate on an amendment which has been printed in the Record even though
    debate has been closed by the Committee of the Whole, was inserted in
    the 92d Congress (H. Res. 5, Jan. 22, 1971, p. 144) following the
    enactment of an identical provision in section 119 of the Legislative
    Reorganization Act of 1970 (84 Stat. 1140).

      The penultimate sentence of the clause, relating to the procedure for
    submitting and the printing of amendments under the clause, was added in
    the 93d Congress (H. Res. 1387, Nov. 25, 1974, p. 37270). The last
    sentence, relating to the numbering of printed amendments, was added in
    the 104th Congress (sec. 217, H. Res. 6, Jan. 4, 1995, p. ----).

      The Speaker announced that amendments to be printed in the Record
    pursuant to this clause must be deposited in a separate box at the
    Rostrum or with the Official Reporters of Debates within 15 minutes
    following adjournment, and must bear the Member's original signature
    (Nov. 25, 1974, p. 37270). Printing an amendment in the Record under
    this clause permits debate notwithstanding a limitation of debate only
    if the amendment has been properly offered, and does not permit the
    offering of an amendment not otherwise in order under the rules (Apr.
    23, 1975, p. 11491); and the guaranteed five minutes may be claimed only
    if the offeror of the amendment is the Member who caused it to be
    printed under the rule (June 1, 1976, p. 16044; June 29, 1989, p. 13928;
    June 19, 1991, p.----). The guaranteed time applies to an amendment
    offered as a substitute for another amendment, rather than as a primary
    amendment, if offered in the precise form printed (June 26, 1979, p.
    16682), but where such a substitute amendment has not been printed in
    the Record it may not be debated unless time is yielded within the
    original 10 minutes (Dec. 10, 1987, p. 34710). Where a special order
    requires amendments to be printed in the Record to qualify during the
    consideration of a bill under the five-minute rule, but makes no
    designation concerning offerors, any printed amendment may be offered by
    any Member (Mar. 22, 1990, p. 5017); but only the Member causing the
    amendment to be printed is entitled to the time for debate guaranteed by
    this clause.

    [[Page 685]]
    may close the five-minute debate after it has begun (V, 5229, 5231),
    but rarely exercises this right. The motion to close debate, while not
    debatable (Apr. 23, 1975, p. 11534; June 5, 1975, p. 17187), may be
    amended (V, 5227; VIII, 2578). The closing of debate on the last section
    of a bill does not preclude debate on a substitute for the whole text
    (V, 5228). Where there is a time limitation on debate on a pending
    amendment in the nature of a substitute and all amendments thereto, but
    not on the underlying original text, debate on perfecting amendments to
    the original text proceeds under the five-minute rule absent another
    time limitation (Apr. 13, 1983, p. 8402). The motion may be ruled out
    when dilatory (V, 5734). Where five-minute debate has been limited to a
    certain number of minutes of debate without reference to a time certain,
    the time consumed by reading of amendments, quorum calls, points of
    order and votes is not taken from that remaining for debate (Oct. 3,
    1969, pp. 28459-60; Nov. 9, 1971, pp. 40060-61); but where debate has
    been limited to a time certain, such time comes out of the time
    remaining under the limitation and reduces the time which may be
    allocated to Members wishing to speak (May 6, 1970, p. 14452; Oct. 7,
    1976, pp. 26305-06). Where debate under the five-minute rule has been
    limited and equally divided, a Member allocated time may reserve a
    portion of his time or yield his time to another Member only by
    unanimous consent (Mar. 2, 1976, p. 4992; May 11, 1976, p. 13416; June
    14, 1977, p. 18833). A motion to limit debate on a pending amendment may
    neither allocate the time proposed to remain nor vary the order of
    recognition to close debate, though the Committee of the Whole may
    separately do either by unanimous consent (July 12, 1988, p. 17767).
    Under a limitation on debate the Chair may, in his discretion, either
    permit continued debate under the five-minute rule, or divide the
    remaining time among all those desiring to speak, or divide the
    remaining time between a proponent and an opponent to be yielded by them
    to other Members (May 25, 1982, p. 11672). Except as indicated in
    Sec. 762, supra, the manager of the bill, and not the proponent of the
    pending amendment, has the right to close debate on an amendment on
    which debate has been limited and allocated under the five-minute rule
    (July 16, 1981, p. 16043), even where he is also the proponent of a
    pending amendment to the amendment subject to the limitation (Mar. 16,
    1983, p. 5792). The Chair may also in his discretion give priority of
    recognition under a limitation to those Members seeking to offer
    amendments, over other Members standing at the time the limitation was
    agreed to (May 26, 1977, pp. 16950-52). Where the Committee of the Whole
    has limited debate time on a bill and all amendments thereto to a time
    certain several hours away, the Chair may in his discretion continue to
    proceed under the five-minute rule until he desires to allocate
    remaining time on possible amendments, and may then divide that time
    among proponents of anticipated amendments, and committee members
    opposing those amendments (July 16, 1981, p. 16044). The Chair has
    discretion to reallocate time originally allocated by unanimous consent
    in the Committee of the Whole (Mar. 16, 1995, p. ----). The Committee

    [[Page 686]]
    of the Whole may, by motion, limit debate on a pending committee
    amendment in the nature of a substitute (considered as having been read
    as original text) and on all amendments thereto to a time certain, and
    may then, by subsequent unanimous consent requests or motions,
    separately limit debate on each perfecting amendment after it has been
    offered (Mar. 16, 1983, p. 5794). A time limitation imposed by the
    Committee of the Whole under this clause may be rescinded or modified
    only by unanimous consent (Sept. 17, 1975, p. 28904). While ordinarily
    the expiration of time for debate on a bill and all amendments thereto
    precludes debate on amendments offered thereafter (July 18, 1968, p.
    22110), debate on an amendment printed in the Record may nevertheless
    proceed for 10 minutes under this clause (Aug. 2, 1973, p. 27715). While
    the Committee of the Whole may limit debate on amendments, it may not
    restrict the offering of amendments in contravention of a special order
    adopted by the House (June 25, 1985, p. 17201).

      The motion to close debate is not in order until such debate has begun
    (V, 5225; VIII, 2567), which means after one speech of five minutes (V,
    5226; VIII, 2573). The motion to strike the enacting clause under clause
    7 of this rule is preferential to the motion to close debate (June 28,
    1995, p. ----; July 13, 1995, p. ----). Although any Member may move, or
    request unanimous consent, to limit debate under the five-minute rule,
    the manager of the bill has the prior right to recognition for such
    purpose (June 19, 1984, p. 17055). The House, as well as the Committee
    of the Whole,

    Sec. 875. The motion to strike out the enacting words of
    a bill.

      7. A  motion to strike out the enacting words of a bill shall have
    precedence of a motion to amend, and, if carried, shall be considered
    equivalent to its rejection. Whenever a bill is reported from a
    Committee of the Whole with an adverse recommendation and such
    recommendation is disagreed to by the House, the bill shall stand
    recommitted to the said committee without further action by the House,
    but before the question of concurrence is submitted it is in order to
    entertain a motion to refer the bill to any committee, with or without
    instructions, and when the same is again reported to the House it shall
    be referred to the Committee of the Whole without debate.

    [[Page 687]]
    merely of the fact that the motion was used most frequently in
    Committee of the Whole (V, 5326, 5332). The motion must be in writing
    and in the proper form (July 24, 1986, p. 17641; Aug. 15, 1986, p.
    22071; Sept. 12, 1986, p. 23178).
      The practice of rejecting a bill by striking out the enacting words
    dates from a time as early as 1812, but the first rule on the subject
    was not adopted until 1822. By amendments in 1860, 1870, and 1880 the
    rule has been brought into its present form (V, 5326). The rule before
    1880 applied in the House as well as in Committee of the Whole. In the
    revision of 1880 for the first time it was classified among the rules
    relating to the Committee of the Whole, but there is nothing to indicate
    that this change was intended to limit the scope of the motion. It was
    probably a recognition

    Sec. 876a. Practice as to use of the motion to
    strike out the enacting clause.

      The motion  may not be made until the first
    section of the bill has been read (V, 5327; VIII, 2619). Having
    precedence of a motion to amend, it may be offered while an amendment is
    pending (V, 5328-5331; VIII, 2622, 2624, 2627). The motion takes
    precedence over the motion to amend and therefore over the motion to
    rise and report at the end of the reading of a general appropriation
    bill for amendment under clause 2(d) of rule XXI (July 24, 1986, p.
    17641). The motion also takes precedence over a motion to limit debate
    on pending amendments (June 28, 1995, p. ----; July 13, 1995). Where a
    special order provides that a bill shall be open to amendment in
    Committee of the Whole, a motion to strike out the enacting words is in
    order (VII, 787); contra (IV, 3215), but after the stage of amendment
    has been passed the motion to strike out the enacting words is not in
    order (IV, 4782; VIII, 2368). Where a bill is being considered under a
    special order which permits only committee amendments and no amendments
    thereto, a motion that the committee rise and report with the
    recommendation that the enacting clause be stricken is not in order
    where no committee amendments are in fact offered (Apr. 16, 1970, p.
    12092).

      The motion is debatable as to the merits of the bill, but may not go
    beyond its provisions (V, 5336). The debate on the motion is, in
    Committee of the Whole, governed by the five-minute rule (V, 5333-5335;
    VIII, 2618, 2628-2631); only two five-minute speeches are in order (V,
    5335; VIII, 2629), and time may not be reserved (May 22, 1991, p. ----);
    thus where a Member recognized for five minutes in opposition to the
    motion yields back his time another Member may not claim the unused
    portion thereof (Mar. 3, 1988, p. 3241). Members of the committee
    managing the bill have priority in recognition for debate in opposition
    to the motion (May 5, 1988, p. 9955; June 26, 1991, p. ----). The motion
    is not debatable after the expiration of time for debate on the pending
    bill and all amendments thereto (July 9, 1965, p. 16280; July 19, 1973,
    p. 24961; June 19, 1975, p. 19785), but it is debatable where the
    limitation is only on an amendment in the nature of a substitute being
    read as an original bill for the purpose of amendment under a special
    order (June 20, 1975, p. 19966). For more concerning debate on the
    motion, see Deschler's Precedents, vol. 5, ch. 19, sec. 12.

    [[Page 688]]
    to a proposed amendment to the bill. But where a committee amendment in
    the nature of a substitute is being read for amendment as an original
    bill, pursuant to a special order, the adoption of amendments to the
    amendment in the nature of a substitute allows the re-offering of the
    motion (June 20, 1975, p. 19970). A point of order against the motion
    should be made before debate thereon has begun (V, 6902; VIII, 3442; May
    6, 1950, p. 6571), and when challenged the Member offering the motion
    must qualify as being opposed to the bill (Mar. 13, 1942, p. 2439; May
    6, 1950, p. 6571; June 14, 1979, p. 14995; Jan. 26, 1995, p. ----). When
    a bill is reported from the Committee of the Whole with the
    recommendation that the enacting words be stricken out, the motion to
    strike out is debatable (V, 5337-5340), but a motion to lay on the table
    is not in order (V, 5337). The previous question may be moved on the
    motion to concur without applying to further action on the bill (V,
    5342). When the House disagrees to the action of the committee in
    striking out the enacting words and does not refer it under the
    provisions of the rule, it goes back to the Committee of the Whole,
    where it becomes unfinished business (V, 5326, 5345, 5346; VIII, 2633).
    Notwithstanding that consideration of the pending bill was governed by a
    ``modified closed rule'' permitting only specified amendments, pending
    the concurrence of the House with a recommendation of the Committee of
    the Whole that the enacting clause be stricken, the House could by
    instructions in a motion to refer under this clause direct the Committee
    of the Whole to consider additional germane amendments (Apr. 14, 1994,
    p. ----). When the enacting words of a bill are stricken out the bill is
    rejected (V, 5326); and when the enacting clause of a Senate measure is
    stricken, the bill is rejected (V, 5326), and the Senate is so informed
    (IV, 3423; VIII, 2638; June 20, 1946, p. 7211; Oct. 4, 1972, p. 33787).
      A second motion on the same legislative day to strike out the enacting
    clause is not entertained in the absence of any material modification of
    the bill (VIII, 2636), but the motion may be repeated on a subsequent
    legislative day without change in the bill (May 6, 1950, p. 6571). The
    rejection of a proposed amendment to the bill does not qualify as a
    modification of the bill (June 21, 1962, p. 11369), nor does the
    adoption of an amendment

      When, on Calendar Wednesday, the House disagrees to the recommendation
    of the Committee of the Whole that the enacting words be stricken out,
    the House automatically resolves itself into Committee of the Whole for
    its further consideration (VII, 943). When the bill is thus again taken
    up in Committee of the Whole it is taken up as unfinished business and
    is open to amendment, and the motion to strike out the enacting words
    may be again offered (VIII, 2633).

    [[Page 689]]
    Whole to consider an amendment to a concurrent resolution on the
    budget, or any amendment to an amendment thereto, unless the concurrent
    resolution as amended by such amendment or amendments (a) would be
    mathematically consistent (except to the extent that the amendment
    involved is limited by the third sentence of this clause); and (b) would
    contain all the matter set forth in paragraphs (1) through (5) of
    section 301(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. It shall not be
    in order in the House or in a Committee of the Whole to consider an
    amendment to a concurrent resolution on the budget, or any amendment to
    an amendment thereto, which changes the amount of the appropriate level
    of the public debt set forth in the concurrent resolution as reported;
    except that the amendments to achieve mathematical consistency which are
    permitted under section 305(a)(6) of the Congressional Budget Act of
    1974 may include an amendment, offered by or at the direction of the
    Committee on the Budget, to adjust the amount of such level to reflect
    any changes made in the other figures contained in the resolution.

    Sec. 876b. Reading concurrent resolution on budget
    for amendment.

      8. At the  conclusion of general debate in a Committee of the
    Whole on any concurrent resolution on the budget pursuant to section
    305(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the concurrent
    resolution shall be considered as having been read for amendment. It
    shall not be in order in the House or in a Committee of the

    [[Page 690]]

      The first sentence of this clause was added to the rules on January 4,
    1977 (H. Res. 5, 95th Cong., pp. 53-70). The second sentence was adopted
    in the 96th Congress (H. Res. 5, Jan. 15, 1979, pp. 7-16). In the 96th
    Congress the second sentence was amended further and the third sentence
    added by Public Law 96-78 (93 Stat. 589) and was originally intended to
    apply to concurrent resolutions on the budget for fiscal years beginning
    on or after October 1, 1980 (fiscal 1980). However, in the 96th Congress
    the provisions of that public law amending the rules of the House were
    made applicable to the third concurrent resolution on the budget for
    fiscal year 1980 as well as the first concurrent resolution on the
    budget for fiscal year 1981 (H. Res. 642, Apr. 23, 1980, pp. 8789-90).

    Sec. 877. Application of rules of the House to the
    Committee of the Whole.

      9. The  rules of proceeding in the House shall be
    observed in Committees of the Whole House so far as they may be
    applicable.

      This clause was adopted in 1789 (IV, 4737).

    Sec. 877a. Modification of special
    orders.

      Unanimous consent  requests may not be entertained in the Committee of the Whole
    by the Chair if their effect is to materially modify procedures required
    by a special rule or order adopted by the House. For example, the Chair
    has refused to entertain unanimous consent requests: (1) to permit a
    perfecting amendment to be offered to the underlying bill where a
    special rule permitted its consideration only as a perfecting amendment
    to a committee amendment (Aug. 2, 1977, p. 26161); (2) to permit a
    substitute to be read by sections for amendment where the special rule
    did not so provide (Dec. 12, 1973, p. 41153); (3) to extend the time
    limitation for consideration of amendments beyond that set by a special
    order requiring the Chair to put the question on the pending amendments
    at the expiration of certain hours of consideration (Apr. 10, 1986, p.
    7079; Oct. 30, 1991, p. ----); (4) to modify the terms of a special
    order permitting consideration of certain amendments only en bloc, in
    order to permit separate consideration of one of the amendments (Sept.
    11, 1986, p. 22871); (5) to change the control (Oct. 9, 1986, p. 29984)
    or duration (Aug. 1, 1989, p. 17143; Mar. 12, 1991, p. ----; Mar. 17,
    1993, p. ----) of general debate specified by the House; (6) to reduce
    below 15 minutes the minimum time for recorded votes in the Committee of
    the Whole (June 18, 1987, p. 16764), or to postpone certain recorded
    votes where a special order authorized the Chair to postpone requests
    for recorded votes on amendments (June 4, 1992, p. ----); (7) to alter
    the terms of a special rule providing that an amendment not be subject
    to amendment, by permitting a perfecting amendment thereto or a
    subsequent amendment changing an amendment already adopted (Nov. 18,
    1987, p. 32643; July 26, 1989, p. 16411); (8) to permit consideration of
    an amendment out of the order specified in a special rule (May 25, 1988,
    p. 12275; Oct. 31, 1991, p. ----; Nov. 19, 1993, p. ----); (9) to vary
    the terms of a ``modified closed'' rule to permit consideration of an
    additional amendment (July 28, 1988, p. 19491); (10) to permit another
    to offer an amendment vested in a specified Member by the special order
    (May 1, 1990, p. ----).

    [[Page 691]]
    ments to be considered in the Committee of the Whole and to restrict
    ``en blocking'' authority granted in a rule (June 21, 1989, p. 12744).
      By unanimous consent the House has altered the terms of a special
    order, for example: (1) to make an additional amendment in order in the
    Committee of the Whole under a ``modified closed'' rule and to authorize
    a supplemental report from the Committee on Rules in lieu of the
    original report referred to in the special order (Speaker Wright, Aug.
    11, 1988, p. 22105), or to change the specified order of amendments in
    Committee (Oct. 3, 1990, p. ----); and (2) to establish a preprinting
    requirement for certain amend

      Unanimous consent requests have been entertained in Committee of the
    Whole: (1) to permit the modification of a designated amendment made in
    order by a special rule, once offered (Sept. 1, 1976, p. 28877; Nov. 19,
    1993, p. ----); (2) to permit a page reference to be included in a
    designated amendment made in order as printed where the printed
    amendment did not include that reference (Apr. 1, 1976, p. 9091); (3) to
    permit a supporter of an amendment to claim debate time allocated by
    special order to an opponent, where no opponent seeks recognition (May
    23, 1990, p. 11988); (4) to shorten the time set by special order for
    debate on a particular amendment (Aug. 1, 1990, p. ----; Mar. 29, 1995,
    p. ----); (5) to lengthen such time under terms of control congruent
    with those set by the order of the House (May 11, 1988, p. 10495; May
    21, 1991, p. ----; Mar. 22, 1995, p. ----; June 27, 1995, p. ----); (6)
    to permit en bloc consideration of several amendments under a ``modified
    closed'' special order providing for the sequential consideration of
    designated separate amendments (Aug. 10, 1994, p. ----); or (7) to
    permit one of two committees controlling time for general debate
    pursuant to a special order to yield control of its time to the other
    (Aug. 18, 1994, p. ----).

      By unanimous consent the House may delegate to the Committee of the
    Whole authority to entertain unanimous consent requests to change
    procedures contained in an adopted special order (Aug. 11, 1986, p.
    20633).