[Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 118th Congress]
[118th Congress]
[House Document 117-161]
[Jeffersons Manual of ParliamentaryPractice]
[Pages 270-274]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                      sec. xl--bills, third reading



Sec. 492. Obsolete requirements as to reading and 
passage of bills.

  To prevent  bills from being passed by surprise, the House, by a 
standing order, directs that they shall not be put on their passage 
before a fixed hour, naming one at which the house is commonly full. 
Hakew., 153.


  The usage of the Senate is not to put bills on their passage till 
noon.

  A bill reported and passed to the third reading, cannot on that day be 
read the third time and passed; because this would be to pass on two 
readings in the same day.



Sec. 493. Obsolete parliamentary law as to third 
reading.

  At the  third reading the Clerk reads the bill and delivers it to the 
Speaker, who states the title, that it is the third time of reading the 
bill, and that the question will be whether it shall pass. Formerly the 
Speaker, or those who prepared a bill, prepared also a breviate or 
summary statement of its contents, which the Speaker read when he 
declared the state of the bill, at the several readings. Sometimes, 
however, he read the bill itself, especially on its passage. Hakew., 
136, 137, 153; Coke, 22, 115. Latterly, instead of this, he, at the 
third reading, states the whole contents of the bill verbatim, only, 
instead of reading the formal parts, ``Be it enacted,'' &c., he states 
that ``preamble recites so and so--the 1st section enacts that, &c. the 
2d section enacts,'' &c.



  But in the Senate of the United States, both of these formalities are 
dispensed with; the breviate presenting but an imperfect view of the 
bill, and being capable of being made to present a false one; and the 
full statement being a useless waste of time, immediately after a full 
reading by the Clerk, and especially as every member has a printed copy 
in his hand.


  These restrictions are not in effect in the modern practice of the 
House and therefore a bill may be read a third time and passed on the 
same day. Clause 8 of rule XVI provides for the third reading by title 
and not by the presentation of an abbreviated summary.




Sec. 494. Committal of a bill on third 
reading.

  A bill on  the third reading is not to be committed for the matter or 
body thereof, but to receive some particular clause or proviso, it hath 
been sometimes suffered, but as a thing very unusual. Hakew., 156. Thus, 
27 El., 1584, a bill was committed on the third reading, having been 
formerly committed on the second, but is declared not usual. D'Ewes, 
337, col. 2; 414, col. 2.



  In the House it is in order to commit a bill after the engrossment and 
third reading if the previous question is not ordered (V, 5562); and by 
clause 2 of rule XIX the House has preserved this opportunity to commit 
even after the previous question has been ordered.




Sec. 495. Obsolete parliamentary practice as to 
riders.

  When an  essential provision has been omitted, rather than erase the 
bill and render it suspicious, they add a clause on a separate paper, 
engrossed and called a rider, which is read and put to the question 
three times. Elsynge's Memo., 59; 6 Grey, 335; 1 Blackst., 183. For 
examples of riders, see 3 Hats., 121, 122, 124, 156. Every one is at 
liberty to bring in a rider without asking leave. 10 Grey, 52.



  This practice is never followed in the House.




Sec. 496. Obsolete requirements as to reading of 
amendments.

  It is  laid down, as a general rule, that amendments proposed at 
the second reading shall be twice read, and those proposed at the third 
reading thrice read; as also all amendments from the other House. Town., 
col. 19, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28.



  In the practice of the House, amendments, whether offered in the House 
or coming from the other House, do not come under the rule requiring 
different readings.



Sec. 497. Amendments before the third reading.

  It is  with 
great and almost invincible reluctance that amendments are admitted at 
this reading, which occasion erasures or interlineations. Sometimes a 
proviso has been cut off from a bill; sometimes erased. 9 Grey, 513.



  This is the proper stage for filling up blanks; for if filled up 
before, and now altered by erasure, it would be peculiarly unsafe.


  In the House bills are amended after the second reading (IV, 3392), 
and before the engrossment and third reading (V, 5781; VII, 1051, 1052) 
but not afterwards. Under modern practice of the House, readings are 
governed by clause 8 of rule XVI and clause 5 of rule XVIII.



Sec. 498. Debate in relation to the third 
reading.

  At this  reading the bill is debated afresh, and for the most part is 
more spoken to at this time than on any of the former readings. Hakew., 
153.



  The debate on the question whether it should be read a third time, has 
discovered to its friends and opponents the arguments on which each side 
relies, and which of these appear to have influence with the House; they 
have had time to meet them with new arguments, and to put their old ones 
into new shapes. The former vote has tried the strength of the first 
opinion, and furnished grounds to estimate the issue; and the question 
now offered for its passage is the last occasion which is ever to be 
offered for carrying or rejecting it.


  In the House it is usual to debate a bill before and not after the 
engrossment and third reading, probably because of the frequent use of 
the previous question, which prevents all debate after it is ordered. 
When the previous question is not ordered, debate may occur pending the 
vote on passage.


[[Page 274]]

opinion that this bill shall pass, say aye;'' and after the answer of 
the ayes, ``All those of the contrary opinion, say no.'' Hakew., 154.



Sec. 499. Putting the question on the passage of a 
bill.

  When the  debate is ended, the Speaker, holding the bill in his hand, puts 
the question for its passage, by saying, ``Gentlemen, all you who are of 



  In the House the bill is usually in the custody of the Clerk. The 
Speaker states that ``The question is on the passage of the bill,'' and 
puts the question in the form prescribed by clause 6 of rule I.




Sec. 500. Bills not altered after their passage.

    After the 
bill is passed, there can be no further alteration of it in any point. 
Hakew., 159.




  This principle controls the practice of the House. However, a bill may 
be changed if the votes on passage, engrossment, and ordering the 
previous question have been reconsidered. In addition, the Clerk may be 
authorized to make changes in the engrossed copy by unanimous consent or 
by special order of business. Title amendments are transacted following 
passage (Sec. 512, infra).