    [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 202-203]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 202]]

                        SEC. XXVII.--REPORT OF COMMITTEE.

    Sec. 418. Parliamentary method of submitting
    reports.

      The  chairman of the committee, standing in his place, informs the
    House that the committee to whom was referred such a bill, have,
    according to order, had the same under consideration, and have directed
    him to report the same without any amendment, or with sundry amendments
    (as the case may be), which he is ready to do when the House pleases to
    receive it. And he or any other may move that it be now received; but
    the cry of ``now, now,'' from the House, generally dispenses with the
    formality of a motion and question. He then reads the amendments, with
    the coherence in the bill, and opens the alterations and the reasons of
    the committee for such amendments, until he has gone through the whole.
    He then delivers it at the Clerk's table, where the amendments reported
    are read by the Clerk without the coherence; whereupon the papers lie
    upon the table till the House, at its convenience, shall take up the
    report. Scob., 52; Hakew., 148.

    [[Page 203]]
    (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays) on which they are
    available to Members. The exceptions from the three-day rule, in
    addition to the exceptions stated in the rule for declarations of war
    and actions on certain executive determinations, are certain reports
    from the Committee on Rules (see clause 2(l)(6) of rule XI) and primary
    expense resolutions reported from the Committee on House Oversight (see
    clause 5 of rule XI). Reports not filed as privileged under clause 4(a)
    of rule XI are subject to the three-day rule unless specifically
    exempted therefrom (in clause 2(l)(6) of rule XI) or unless privileged
    under rule IX. It has been held, for example, that a privileged report
    involving the privileges of the House under rule IX (such as a report
    from a committee on the contemptuous conduct of a witness before the
    committee) would not be subject to the three-day rule (Speaker Albert,
    July 13, 1971, pp. 24720-23). The general rule (clause 1 of rule XIII)
    is that reports shall be placed on the calendars of the House, there to
    await action under the rules for the order of business (rule XXIV).

      This provision is to a large extent obsolete so far as the practice of
    the House of Representatives is concerned. Most of the reports of
    committees are made by filing them with the Clerk without reading
    (clause 2 of rule XIII), and only the reports of committees having leave
    to report at any time are made by the chairman or other member of the
    committee from the floor (clause 4(a) of rule XI). Committee reports
    must be submitted while the House is in session, and this requirement
    may be waived by unanimous consent only, and not by motion (Dec. 17,
    1982, p. 31951). All reports privileged under clause 4 of rule XI at one
    time could be called up for consideration immediately after being filed,
    but since January 3, 1975 (H. Res. 988, 93d Cong., Oct. 8, 1974, p. ----
    ), such reports--with two exceptions--are subject to the requirement of
    clause 2(l)(6) of rule XI and cannot be considered in the House until
    the third calendar day

    Sec. 419. Reports; dissolution, and revival of select
    committees.

      The  report being made, the committee is dissolved and can act
    no more without a new power. Scob. 51. But it may be revived by a vote,
    and the same matter recommitted to them. 4 Grey, 361.

      This provision does not apply now to the Committees of the Whole or to
    the standing committees. It does apply to select committees, which
    expire when they report finally, but may be revived by the action of the
    House in referring in open House a new matter (IV, 4404, 4405). The
    provision does not preclude a standing committee from reporting a bill
    similar to one previously reported by such committee (VIII, 2311).