[Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 105th Congress]
[105th Congress]
[House Document 104-272]
[Jeffersons Manual of ParliamentaryPractice]
[Page 139]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


 

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                            sec. vi.--quorum.




Sec. 310. Necessity of a quorum during business, including 
debate.

  In  general the chair is not to be taken till a quorum for 
business is present; unless, after due waiting, such a quorum be 
despaired of, when the chair may be taken and the House adjourned. And 
whenever, during business, it is observed that a quorum is not present, 
any member may call for the House to be counted, and being found 
deficient, business is suspended. 2 Hats., 125, 126.



  In the House of Representatives the Speaker takes the Chair at the 
hour to which the House stood adjourned and there is no requirement that 
the House proceed immediately to establish a quorum, although the 
Speaker has the authority under clause 6 of rule XV to recognize for a 
call of the House at any time. The question of a quorum is not 
considered unless properly raised (IV, 2733; VI, 624), and it is not in 
order for the Speaker to recognize for a point of no quorum unless he 
has put the pending question or proposition to a vote. While it was 
formerly the rule that a quorum was necessary for debate as well as 
business (IV, 2935-2949), under the procedure put in effect in the 95th 
Congress such is not the case. In the 94th Congress, it was established 
by rule that certain proceedings in the House did not require a quorum 
(clause 6 of rule XV).