    [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 211-212]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

                         sec. xxviii--bill, recommitment

    [[Page 212]]

    Sec. 420. Recommittal of a bill to a committee.

      After  a bill
    has been committed and reported, it ought not, in any ordinary course,
    to be recommitted; but in cases of importance, and for special reasons,
    it is sometimes recommitted, and usually to the same committee. Hakew,
    151. If a report be recommitted before agreed to in the House, what has
    passed in committee is of no validity; the whole question is again
    before the committee, and a new resolution must be again moved, as if
    nothing had passed. 3 Hats., 131--note.

      In Senate, January, 1800, the salvage bill was recommitted three times
    after the commitment.

      Where a matter is recommitted with instructions the committee must
    confine itself within the instructions (IV, 4404), and if the
    instructions relate to a certain portion only of a bill, other portions
    may not be reviewed (V, 5526). When a report has been disposed of
    adversely a motion to recommit it is not in order (V, 5559). Bills are
    sometimes recommitted to the Committee of the Whole as the indirect
    result of the action of the House (clause 9 of rule XVIII; IV, 4784) or
    directly on motion either with or without instructions (V, 5552, 5553).

    Sec. 421. Division of matters for reference to
    committees.

      A  particular clause of a bill may be committed without the
    whole bill, 3 Hats., 131; or so much of a paper to one and so much to
    another committee.

      In the usage of the House before the rules provided that petitions
    should be filed with the Clerk instead of being referred from the floor,
    it was the practice to refer a portion of a petition to one committee
    and the remainder to another when the subject matter called for such
    division (IV, 3359). Clause 2 of rule XII now permits the Speaker to
    refer bills, and resolutions, with or without time limitations, either
    (1) simultaneously to two or more committees for concurrent
    consideration, while indicating one committee of primary jurisdiction,
    (2) sequentially to appropriate committees after the report of the
    committee or committees initially considering the matter, (3) to divide
    the matter for referral, (4) to appoint an ad hoc committee with the
    approval of the House, or (5) to make other appropriate provisions, in
    order to assure that to the maximum extent feasible each committee with
    subject matter jurisdiction over provisions in that measure may consider
    and report to the House with respect thereto. Under former precedents a
    bill, resolution, or communication could not be divided for reference
    (IV, 4372, 4376).