[Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 104th Congress]
[104th Congress]
[House Document 103-342]
[Provisions of the Legislative Reorganization Act]
[Pages 853-854]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



[[Page 853]]

 

                     LEGISLATIVE REORGANIZATION ACTS

   PROVISIONS OF THE LEGISLATIVE REORGANIZATION ACTS OF 1946 AND 1970 


section 132 of the legislative reorganization act of 1946, as amended by 
section 461 of the legislative reorganization act of 1970 (2 u.s.c. 198)

Sec. 132. (a) <> Unless 
otherwise provided by the Congress, the two Houses shall--               
                        APPLICABLE TO BOTH HOUSES


             (1) adjourn sine die not later than July 31 of each year; 
or

          (2) in the case of an odd-numbered year, provide, not later 

        than July 31 of such year, by concurrent resolution adopted in 

        each House by rollcall vote, for the adjournment of the two 

        Houses from that Friday in August which occurs at least thirty 

        days before the first Monday in September (Labor Day) of such 


        year to the second day after Labor Day.


  (b) This section shall not be applicable in any year if on July 31 of 
such year a state of war exists pursuant to a declaration of war by the 
Congress.

  The present form of this section is derived from the Legislative 
Reorganization Act of 1970 (sec. 461; 84 Stat. 1140). Prior to that 
revision, the 1946 Act (60 Stat. 812) provided for adjournment sine die 
of the two Houses not later than the last day of July each year except 
during time of war or a national emergency proclaimed by the President. 
Presidentially declared emergencies of May 8, 1939, and May 27, 1941, 
negated operation of the provision (see Speaker Rayburn, Aug. 1, 1949, 
p. 10486; Aug. 2, 1949, p. 10591; and Aug. 4, 1949, p. 10778), as did 
the later emergency declared by President Truman on December 16, 1950.


  The Committee on Rules has jurisdiction of matters relative to 
recesses and final adjournment of Congress (clause 1(m)(2) of rule X).


[[Page 854]]
1972, pp. 25145-46; July 24, 1974, p. 25008; July 29, 1982, pp. 18562, 
18563; July 30, 1986, p. 18146; July 29, 1994, p. ----).



Sec. 948. Not a statutory adjournment sine die.

  Under  this 
provision of law, a concurrent resolution providing in an odd-numbered 
year for an adjournment of the two Houses from the first Friday in 
August until the second day after Labor Day or until notified to 
reassemble pursuant to a joint agreement of the Leadership of the two 
Houses is called up as privileged and requires a yea and nay vote for 
adoption (July 30, 1973, pp. 26657-58), and is not debatable (July 31, 
1991, p. ----); but the House may adjourn by simple motion on July 31 to 
meet on August 1 (July 31, 1991, p. ----). In even-numbered years, the 
House has agreed to concurrent resolutions waiving the provisions of 
this law to provide that the two Houses shall not adjourn for more than 
three days or sine die until they have adopted a concurrent resolution 
to that effect (July 25, 


  section 141 of the legislative reorganization act of 1946 (2 u.s.c. 


                                  145a)




Sec. 949. Preservation of committee 
hearings.

  Sec. 141. The  Librarian of the Library of Congress is authorized and 
directed to have bound at the end of each session of Congress the 
printed hearings of testimony taken by each committee of the Congress at 
the preceding session.







  This provision became effective on August 2, 1946.