[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 160-162]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



 

                   SEC. XIV.--ARRANGEMENT OF BUSINESS.



Sec. 349. Advantages of an order of business.

  The  Speaker is 
not precisely bound to any rules as to what bills or other matter shall 
be first taken up; but it is left to his own discretion, unless the 
House on a question decide to take up a particular subject. Hakew., 136.



[[Page 161]]
their special patronage, out of their just turn. It is useful also for 
directing the discretion of the House, when they are moved to take up a 
particular matter, to the prejudice of others, having priority of right 
to their attention in the general order of business.

  A settled order of business is, however, necessary for the government 
of the presiding person, and to restrain individual Members from calling 
up favorite measures, or matters under 


         *            *            *            *            *        


  In this way we do not waste our time in debating what shall be taken 
up. We do one thing at a time; follow up a subject while it is fresh, 
and till it is done with; clear the House of business gradatim as it is 
brought on, and prevent, to a certain degree, its immense accumulation 
toward the close of the session.

  Jefferson gave as a part of his comment on the law of Parliament the 
order of business in the Senate in his time. Both in the House and 
Senate the order of business has been changed to meet the needs of the 
times. The order of business now followed in the House is established by 
rule XXIV; and this rule, with the rules supplemental thereto, take away 
to a very large extent the discretion exercised by the Speaker under the 
parliamentary law.


  In the House of Representatives before committees are appointed it is 
in order to offer a bill or resolution for consideration not previously 
considered by a committee (VII, 2103). In the 73d Congress, the House 
passed before the adoption of rules and election of committees a bill of 
major importance (H.R. 1491, providing relief in the existing national 
emergency in banking), following a message from President Roosevelt 
recommending its immediate passage (Mar. 9, 1933, pp. 75-84). After 
committees are appointed, bills and resolutions not otherwise in order 
must be referred (VII, 2104).


[[Page 162]]
reading as soon as the question then before the House is disposed of; 
and bills brought in on leave, which are read first whenever presented. 
So messages from the other House respecting amendments to bills are 
taken up as soon as the House is clear of a question, unless they 
require to be printed, for better consideration. Orders of the day may 
be called for, even when another question is before the House.



Sec. 350. Conditions of the old and the modern 
orders of business.

  Arrangement,  however, can only take hold of matters in 
possession of the House. New matter may be moved at any time when no 
question is before the House. Such are original motions and reports on 
bills. Such are bills from the other House, which are received at all 
times, and receive their first 





  In Jefferson's time the principles of this comment would have applied 
to both House and Senate; but in the House the pressure of business has 
become so great that the order of business may be interrupted at the 
will of the majority only by certain specified matters (see annotations 
following rule XXIV). For matters not thus specified, interruption of 
the order takes place only by unanimous consent.