[Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 117th Congress]
[117th Congress]
[House Document 116-177]
[Jeffersons Manual of ParliamentaryPractice]
[Pages 280-281]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                sec. xliv--bills sent to the other house




Sec. 519. Laying on the table bills from the other House.

    A 
bill from the other House is sometimes ordered to lie on the table. 2 
Hats., 97.



  This principle is recognized in the practice of the House, both as to 
Senate bills (IV, 3418, 3419; V, 5437), and as to House bills returned 
with Senate amendments (V, 5424, 6201-6203). The motion to lay on the 
table Senate amendments to a House bill does not take precedence over 
the motion to recede and concur, because the motion would table the 
entire bill (Speaker Longworth, Jan. 24, 1927, p. 2165), but the motion 
to lay on the table a motion to recede and concur in a Senate amendment 
does not carry the amendment and bill to the table, and other motions 
are in order to dispose of the Senate amendment (Feb. 22, 1978, p. 
4072).




Sec. 520. Requests for information from the other 
House.

  When bills  passed in one House and sent to the other are ground on special 
facts requiring proof, it is usual, either by message or at a 
conference, to ask the grounds and evidence, and this evidence, whether 
arising out of papers or from the examination of witnesses, is 
immediately communicated. 3 Hats., 48.



[[Page 281]]



  The Houses of Congress transmit with bills accompanying papers, which 
are returned when the bills pass or at final adjournment (V, 7259, 
footnote). Sometimes one House has asked, by resolution, for papers from 
the files of the other (V, 7263, 7264). Testimony is also requested 
(III, 1855).