    [Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 107th Congress]
    [107th Congress]
    [House Document 106-320]
    [Jeffersons Manual of ParliamentaryPractice]
    [Pages 210-211]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 210]]

                         sec. xxvii--report of committee

    Sec. 418. Parliamentary method of submitting
    reports.

      The  chairman of the committee, standing in his place, informs the
    House that the committee to whom was referred such a bill, have,
    according to order, had the same under consideration, and have directed
    him to report the same without any amendment, or with sundry amendments
    (as the case may be), which he is ready to do when the House pleases to
    receive it. And he or any other may move that it be now received; but
    the cry of ``now, now,'' from the House, generally dispenses with the
    formality of a motion and question. He then reads the amendments, with
    the coherence in the bill, and opens the alterations and the reasons of
    the committee for such amendments, until he has gone through the whole.
    He then delivers it at the Clerk's table, where the amendments reported
    are read by the Clerk without the coherence; whereupon the papers lie
    upon the table till the House, at its convenience, shall take up the
    report. Scob., 52; Hakew., 148.

    [[Page 211]]

    and legal holidays) on which they are available to Members. The
    exceptions from the three-day rule include, an exception for
    declarations of war, actions on certain executive determinations,
    certain reports from the Committee on Rules, primary expense resolutions
    reported from the Committee on House Administration, and bills on the
    Corrections Calendar. Reports not filed as privileged under clause 5 of
    rule XIII are subject to the three-day rule unless specifically exempted
    therefrom (in clause 4 of rule XIII) or unless privileged under rule IX.
    It has been held, for example, that a privileged report involving the
    privileges of the House under rule IX (such as a report from a committee
    on the contemptuous conduct of a witness before the committee) would not
    be subject to the three-day rule (Speaker Albert, July 13, 1971, pp.
    24720-23). The general rule (clause 1 of rule XIII) is that reports
    shall be placed on the calendars of the House to await action under the
    rules for the order of business (rule XIV).

      This provision is to a large extent obsolete so far as the practice of
    the House is concerned. Most of the reports of committees are made by
    filing them with the Clerk without reading (clause 2 of rule XIII), and
    only the reports of committees having leave to report at any time are
    made by the chairman or other member of the committee from the floor
    (clause 5 of rule XIII). Committee reports must be submitted while the
    House is in session, and this requirement may be waived by unanimous
    consent only, and not by motion (Dec. 17, 1982, p. 31951). All reports
    privileged under clause 5 of rule XIII at one time could be called up
    for consideration immediately after being filed, but since January 3,
    1975 (H. Res. 988, 93d Cong., Oct. 8, 1974, p. 34406), such reports--
    with certain exceptions--are subject to the requirement of clause 4 of
    rule XIII and cannot be considered in the House until the third calendar
    day (excluding Saturdays, Sundays,

    Sec. 419. Reports; dissolution and revival of select
    committees.

      The  report being made, the committee is dissolved and can act
    no more without a new power. Scob. 51. But it may be revived by a vote,
    and the same matter recommitted to them. 4 Grey, 361.

      This provision does not apply now to the Committees of the Whole or to
    the standing committees. It does apply to select committees, which
    expire when they report finally, but may be revived by the action of the
    House in referring in open House a new matter (IV, 4404, 4405). The
    provision does not preclude a standing committee from reporting a bill
    similar to one previously reported by such committee (VIII, 2311).