House Rules And Documents, 117th Congress

The House Rules and Documents, 117th Congress,  contains the fundamental source material for parliamentary procedure used in the House of Representatives: the Constitution of the United States; applicable provisions of Jefferson’s Manual; Rules of the House (as of the date of this preface); provisions of law and resolutions having the force of Rules of the House; and pertinent decisions of the Speakers and other presiding officers of the House and Committee of the Whole interpreting the rules and other procedural authority used in the House of Representatives.

THE CONSTITUTION

PREAMBLE  3

ARTICLE I.—The legislative power  4

—The executive power  68

—The judicial power 81

—Obligations, duties, etc., of the States 83

—Amendments to 85

—Law of the land, etc 87

—Ratification of  92

Amendments ratified  94

JEFFERSON’S MANUAL

SECTION I.—Importance of adhering to rules 129

III.—Privilege  132

—Quorum 153

—Call of the House 154

—Speaker 154

—Address 157

—Committees  157

—Committee of the Whole 161

—Examination of witnesses  170

—Arrangement of business 175

—Order 176

—Order respecting papers  177

—Order in debate 178

—Orders of the House 203

—Petition  207

—Motion 208

—Resolutions 209

—Bills, leave to bring in  211

—Bills, first reading 212

—Bills, second reading 212

—Bills, commitment  213

—Report of committee 224

[XI]

SECTION XXVIII.—Bill, recommitment 225

—Bills, reports taken up 226

—Quasi-committee 228

—Bill, second reading in the House 231

—Reading papers 234

—Privileged questions 236

—The previous question 249

—Amendments 251

—Division of the question 260

—Coexisting questions 263

—Equivalent questions 264

—The question 266

XL.—Bills, third reading  267

XLI.—Division of the House  271

XLII.—Titles  276

XLIII.—Reconsideration  276

XLIV.—Bills sent to the other House  280

XLV.—Amendments between the Houses  281

XLVI.—Conferences 291

XLVII.—Messages  304

XLVIII.—Assent 309

XLIX.—Journals 311

L.—Adjournment  314

LI.—A session  315

LII.—Treaties  319

LIII.—Impeachment  322

RULES OF THE HOUSE

RULE I.—The Speaker 345

—Other Officers and Officials 371

—The Members, Delegates, and Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico 396

—The Hall of the House 401

—Broadcasting the House  410

—Official Reporters and News Media Galleries 412

—Records of the House 425

—Response to Subpoenas 429

—Questions of Privilege  432

—Organization of Committees 454

—Procedures of Committees and Unfinished Business 567

—Receipt and Referral of Measures and Matters        639

—Calendars and Committee Reports  655

—Order and Priority of Business 691

—Business in Order on Special Days  701

[XII]

RULE XVI.—Motions and Amendments 720

—Decorum and Debate 776

—The Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union 809

—Motions Following the Amendment Stage 840

—Voting and Quorum Calls 854

—Restrictions on Certain Bills 884

—House and Senate Relations 943

—Code of Official Conduct  970

—Limitations on Use of Official Funds  987

—Limitations on Outside Earned Income and Acceptance of Gifts 992

—Financial Disclosure 1021

—Disclosure by Members and Staff of Employment Negotiations 1047

—Statutory Limit on the Public Debt 1048

—General Provisions 1051

PROVISIONS OF LEGISLATIVE REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1946, AS AMENDED

BY  THE  LEGISLATIVE  REORGANIZATION  ACT  OF  1970,  APPLICABLE  TO BOTH HOUSES

Congressional adjournment  1057

Preservation of committee hearings  1058

JOINT AND SELECT COMMITTEES

Economic Committee, Joint 1059

Taxation, Joint Committee on 1059

Library, Joint Committee of Congress on the 1060

Printing, Joint Committee on 1060

Inaugural Ceremonies, Joint Congressional Committee on 1060

Select committees 1060

HOUSE AND CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES

House Communications Standards Commission 1063

House Office Building Commission 1063

Government Accountability Office 1063

Office of Congressional Workplace Rights 1063

Congressional Research Service 1064

Legislative Counsel 1064

Congressional Budget Office 1064

Law Revision Counsel 1064

Technology Assessment 1064

Office of the Parliamentarian 1064

Speaker’s Office for Legislative Floor Activities  1065

[XIII]

Members of the House of Representatives rely upon the House Rules and Manual to adhere to parliamentary procedure and any changes to procedure, and may be interested in this publication.  In addition, students studying government and politics, historians, and people interested in how Congress functions may be interested in this publication. High school students through graduate students, and political science and constitutional law professors interested in parliamentary rules and processes may be interested in this updated volume.