[Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 110th Congress]
[110th Congress]
[House Document 109-157]
[Jeffersons Manual of ParliamentaryPractice]
[Pages 305-307]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


 

                           sec. l--adjournment


[[Page 306]]

House to comply with his requisition, or not, as they see fitting. 2 
Hats., 232; 1 Blackst., 186; 5 Grey, 122.
* * * * *


Sec. 584. Parliamentary law as to adjournment of the 
Commons and Lords.

  The two  Houses of Parliament have the sole, separate, and 
independent power of adjourning each their respective Houses. The King 
has no authority to adjourn them; he can only signify his desire, and it 
is in the wisdom and prudence of either





Sec. 585. Motion to adjourn not to be amended.

  A motion  to 
adjourn, simply cannot be amended, as by adding ``to a particular day;'' 
but must be put simply ``that this House do now adjourn;'' and if 
carried in the affirmative, it is adjourned to the next sitting day, 
unless it has come to a previous resolution, ``that at its rising it 
will adjourn to a particular day,'' and then the House is adjourned to 
that day. 2 Hats., 82.



  The modern practice of the House adheres to this principle 
(Sec. Sec. 912-913, infra). Clause 4 of rule XVI admits at the 
discretion of the Speaker a separate motion of equal privilege that when 
the House adjourns on that day it stand adjourned to a day and time 
certain (consistent with article I, section 5, clause 4 of the 
Constitution, not in excess of three days).




Sec. 586. Motion for a recess.

  Where it is  convenient that 
the business of the House be suspended for a short time, as for a 
conference presently to be held, &c., it adjourns during pleasure; 2 
Hats., 305; or for a quarter of an hour. 4 Grey, 331.



[[Page 307]]

hour specified for the conclusion of the proposed recess (V, 6667). A 
Committee of the Whole takes a recess only by permission of the House 
(V, 6669-6671; VIII, 3362). The motion for a recess is not privileged 
(V, 4302, 5301, 6740), in the House or in Committee of the Whole (June 
26, 1981, p. 14356) against a demand that business proceed in the 
regular order (V, 6663; VIII, 3354-3356). However, beginning in the 102d 
Congress a motion to authorize the Speaker to declare a recess was given 
a privilege equal to that of the motion to adjourn (clause 4 of rule 
XVI); and beginning in the 103d Congress the Speaker was authorized to 
declare a recess ``for a short time when no question is pending'' 
(clause 12 of rule I). For the Speaker's authority to declare an 
emergency recess when notified of an imminent threat to the safety of 
the House, see Sec. 639, infra.

  An adjournment during pleasure is effected in the House by a motion 
for a recess. A recess may not be taken by less than a quorum (IV, 2958-
2960), and consequently the motion for it is not in order in the absence 
of a quorum (IV, 2955-2957). When the hour previously fixed for a recess 
arrives, the Chair declares the House in recess even in the midst of a 
division or when a quorum is not present (IV, 664; V, 6665, 6666); but a 
roll call is not in this way interrupted (V, 6054, 6055). Where a 
special order requires a recess at a certain hour of a certain day, the 
recess is not taken if the encroachment of a prior legislative day 
prevents the existence of the said certain day as a legislative day (IV, 
3192). And an adjournment at a time before the hour fixed for a recess 
vacates the recess (IV, 3283). A motion for a recess must, when 
entertained, be voted on, even though the taking of the vote may have 
been prevented until after the






Sec. 587. Adjournment pronounced by the 
Speaker.

  If a  question be put for adjournment, it is no adjournment till 
the Speaker pronounces it. 5 Grey, 137. And from courtesy and respect, 
no member leaves his place till the Speaker has passed on.