    [Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 105th Congress]
    [105th Congress]
    [House Document 104-272]
    [Rules of the House of Representatives]
    [Page 742]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 742]]
    [DOCID:hrmanual-86]

                                   Rule XXVI.

                       unfinished business of the session.

    Sec. 901. Resumption of business of a preceding
    session.

      All business  before committees of the House at the end of one session
    shall be resumed at the commencement of the next session of the same
    Congress in the same manner as if no adjournment had taken place.

      At first the Congress attempted to follow the rule of the English
    Parliament that business unfinished in one session should begin anew at
    the next; but in 1818, after an investigation of a joint committee in
    1816, a rule was adopted that House bills remaining undetermined in the
    House should be continued at the next session after six days. This rule
    did not reach House bills sent to the Senate; but in 1848 the two Houses
    remedied this omission by a joint rule. Business referred to committees
    of the House was still subject to the old rule of Parliament; but in
    1860 the present rule was adopted as a supplement to the rule of 1818.
    In 1890, desiring to do away with the limitation of the six days and
    apparently overlooking the main purpose of the rule of 1818, the House
    rescinded that portion of this rule which dated from 1818. Also, in 1876
    the joint rules were abrogated, leaving no provision, except the
    headline of the rule, for the continuance of business not before
    committees. The practice, however, had become so well established that
    no question has ever been raised (V, 6727).

      The business of conferences between the two Houses is not interrupted
    by an adjournment of a session which does not terminate the Congress (V,
    6260-6262), and even where one House asks a conference at one session
    the other may agree to it in the next session (V, 6286). Where bills
    were enrolled and signed by the presiding officers of the two Houses at
    the close of one session they were sent to the President and approved at
    the beginning of the next session (IV, 3486-3488).