[Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 109th Congress]
[109th Congress]
[House Document 108-241]
[Jeffersons Manual of ParliamentaryPractice]
[Pages 225-227]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


 

                       sec. xxxii--reading papers



[[Page 226]]




Sec. 432. Parliamentary law as to the reading of 
papers.

  Where  papers are laid before the House or referred to a committee 
every Member has a right to have them once read at the table before he 
can be compelled to vote on them; but it is a great though common error 
to suppose that he has a right, toties quoties, to have acts, journals, 
accounts, or papers on the table read independently of the will of the 
House. The delay and interruption which this might be made to produce 
evince the impossibility of the existence of such a right. There is, 
indeed, so manifest a propriety of permitting every Member to have as 
much information as possible on every question on which he is to vote, 
that when he desires the reading, if it be seen that it is really for 
information and not for delay, the Speaker directs it to be read without 
putting a question, if no one objects; but if objected to, a question 
must be put. 2 Hats., 117, 118.



  Until the 103d Congress the House, by former rule XXX, had a provision 
regarding the reading a paper other than that on which the House is 
called to give a final vote (see Sec. Sec. 964, 965, infra).



Sec. 433. Papers not necessarily to be read on plea of 
privilege.

  It  is equally an error to suppose that any Member has a right, 
without a question put, to lay a book or paper on the table, and have it 
read, on suggesting that it contains matter infringing on the privileges 
of the House. Ib.




Sec. 434. Member not always privileged to read a paper in 
his place.

  For  the same reason a Member has not a right to read a paper in 
his place, if it be objected to, without leave of the House. But this 
rigor is never exercised but where there is an intentional or gross 
abuse of the time and patience of the House.


  A Member has not a right even to read his own speech, committed to 
writing, without leave. This also is to prevent an abuse of time, and 
therefore is not refused but where that is intended. 2 Grey, 227.




Sec. 435. Reports of committees not read except on order or 
in debate.

  A  report of a committee of the Senate on a bill from the 
House of Representatives being under consideration: on motion that the 
report of the committee of the House of Representatives on the same bill 
be read in the Senate, it passed in the negative. Feb. 28, 1793.




[[Page 227]]


  In the House ordinary reports are read only in time of debate (V, 
5292), and subject to the authority of the House (V, 5293). But in a few 
cases, where a report does not accompany a bill or other proposition of 
action, but presents facts and conclusions, it is read to the House if 
acted on (II, 1364; IV, 4663).




Sec. 436. Reading of papers on reference.

  Formerly,  when 
papers were referred to a committee, they used to be first read; but of 
late only the titles, unless a Member insists they shall be read, and 
then nobody can oppose it. 2 Hats., 117.





  Under the rules, petitions, memorials, and communications are referred 
through the Clerk's desk, so that there is no opportunity for reading 
before reference, though messages from the President are read (clauses 1 
and 3 of rule XII; clause 2 of rule XIV).