    [Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 113th Congress]
    [113rd Congress]
    [House Document 112-161]
    [Jeffersons Manual of ParliamentaryPractice]
    [Pages 217-218]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

                         sec. xxviii--bill, recommitment

    [[Page 218]]

    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.

    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

      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
    (except under extraordinary circumstances), (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).