[Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 105th Congress]
[105th Congress]
[House Document 104-272]
[Jeffersons Manual of ParliamentaryPractice]
[Pages 160-162]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


 

                   sec. xiv.--arrangement of business.


[[Page 161]]

question decide to take up a particular subject. Hakew., 136.


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 


  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 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.
* * * * *


  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.


[[Page 162]]

  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).




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 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.





  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.