[Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 108th Congress]
[108th Congress]
[House Document 107-284]
[Jeffersons Manual of ParliamentaryPractice]
[Pages 202-203]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]


 

                  sec. xxiii--bills, leave to bring in




Sec. 398. Obsolete provisions as to introduction of 
bills.

  When  a Member desires to bring in a bill on any subject, he states 
to the House in general terms the causes for doing it, and concludes by 
moving for leave to bring in a bill, entitled, &c. Leave being given, on 
the question, a committee is appointed to prepare and bring in the bill. 
The mover and seconder are always appointed of this committee, and one 
or more in addition. Hakew., 132; Scob., 40. It is to be presented 
fairly written, without any erasure or interlineation, or the Speaker 
may refuse it. Scob., 41; 1 Grey, 82, 84.



[[Page 203]]



  This provision is obsolete, rule XII providing an entirely different 
method of introducing bills through the hopper. The introduction of 
bills by leave was gradually dropped by the practice of the House, and 
after 1850 the present free system of permitting Members to introduce at 
will bills for printing and reference began to develop (IV, 3365).