[Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 114th Congress]
[114th Congress]
[House Document 113-181]
[Jeffersons Manual of ParliamentaryPractice]
[Pages 171-173]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


 

                    sec. xiv--arrangement of business



Sec. 349. Advantages of an order of business.

  The  Speaker is 
not precisely bound to any rules as to what bills or other matter shall 
be first taken up; but it is left to his own discretion, unless the 
House on a question decide to take up a particular subject. Hakew., 136.



[[Page 172]]

their special patronage, out of their just turn. It is useful also for 
directing the discretion of the House, when they are moved to take up a 
particular matter, to the prejudice of others, having priority of right 
to their attention in the general order of business.
* * * * *
  A settled order of business is, however, necessary for the government 
of the presiding person, and to restrain individual Members from calling 
up favorite measures, or matters under


  In this way we do not waste our time in debating what shall be taken 
up. We do one thing at a time; follow up a subject while it is fresh, 
and till it is done with; clear the House of business gradatim as it is 
brought on, and prevent, to a certain degree, its immense accumulation 
toward the close of the session.

  Jefferson gave as a part of his comment on the law of Parliament the 
order of business in the Senate in his time. Both in the House and 
Senate the order of business has been changed to meet the needs of the 
times. The order of business now followed in the House is established by 
rule XIV; and this rule, with the rules supplemental thereto, take away 
to a very large extent the discretion exercised by the Speaker under the 
parliamentary law.


  In the House before committees are appointed it is in order to offer a 
bill or resolution for consideration not previously considered by a 
committee (VII, 2103). In the 73d Congress, the House passed before the 
adoption of rules and election of committees a bill of major importance 
(providing relief in the existing national emergency in banking), 
following a message from the President recommending its immediate 
passage (Mar. 9, 1933, pp. 75-84).


[[Page 173]]

House is disposed of; and bills brought in on leave, which are read 
first whenever presented. So messages from the other House respecting 
amendments to bills are taken up as soon as the House is clear of a 
question, unless they require to be printed, for better consideration. 
Orders of the day may be called for, even when another question is 
before the House.



Sec. 350. Conditions of the old and the modern 
orders of business.

  Arrangement,  however, can only take hold of matters in 
possession of the House. New matter may be moved at any time when no 
question is before the House. Such are original motions and reports on 
bills. Such are bills from the other House, which are received at all 
times, and receive their first reading as soon as the question then 
before the





  In Jefferson's time the principles of this comment would have applied 
to both House and Senate; but in the House the order of business may be 
interrupted at the will of the majority only by certain specified 
matters (see annotations following rule XIV). For matters not thus 
specified, interruption of the order takes place only by unanimous 
consent. For a discussion of the Speaker's policy of conferring 
recognition for such unanimous-consent requests, see Sec. 956, infra.