[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 317-318]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 317]]

                           sec. l--adjournment



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





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.



  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 (V, 6665, 6666; VI, 664); 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 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 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 the 
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.


[[Page 318]]



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.