From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms
Strike / and Insert / from the Record / the Last Word / Expunge
Strike and Insert: Amendment that replaces text in a measure or an amendment.
Strike from the Record: Remarks made on the House floor may offend some member, who moves that the offending words be “taken down” for the Speaker’s cognizance, and then expunged from the debate as published in the Congressional Record.
Strike the Last Word / Strike the Requisite Number of Words: Also called a pro forma amendment. Means of obtaining time to speak on an amendment without actually offering a substantive change. Amendments are debated under the five-minute rule, with the proponent and an opponent speaking first for up to five minutes each. Members may then make a motion to “strike the last word” or “strike the requisite number of words,” that is, offer a pro forma amendment to gain five minutes to speak on an amendment. At the end of five minutes, the pro forma amendment is considered withdrawn.
Rep. Olver Strikes the Last Word for High-Speed Rail
Pro Forma Amendment: Motion whereby a House member secures five minutes to speak on an amendment under debate, without offering a substantive amendment. The member moves to “strike the last word” or “strike the requisite number of words.” The motion requires no vote and is deemed automatically withdrawn at the expiration of the five minutes.
Also see
- Amendment (CongressionalGlossary.com)
- Amendment Tree (CongressionalGlossary.com)
- Five Minute Rule (CongressionalGlossary.com)
- § 6.120 Committee of the Whole: Amendment Process, § 6.220 Senate Amendment Procedure, § 11.10 How to Follow Floor Proceedings in the House, in Congressional Deskbook
- Chapter 3.D. Hearings in Committees; Chapter 3.F. Amendment Procedure; Chapter 5.J. Amendment on the Senate Floor and in Committee; Chapter 5.K. Filling the Amendment Tree; in Congressional Procedure
More
- House Rule XVI. Motions and Amendments
- Senate Rule XV. Amendments and Motions
- “The Amending Process in the House of Representatives,” CRS Report 98-995 (49-page PDF
) - “The Legislative Process on the House Floor: An Introduction,” CRS Report 95-563 (18-page PDF)
- “Special Rules in the House of Representatives,” CRS Report 96-938 (130-page PDF)
- “House Committee Markups: Manual of Procedures and Procedural Strategies,” CRS Report R41083 (220-page PDF)
- “The Amending Process in the Senate,” CRS Report 98-853 (40-page PDF)
- “Amendments in the Senate: Types and Forms,” CRS Report 98-614 (7-page PDF)
- “Filling the Amendment Tree in the Senate,” CRS Report RS22854 (10-page PDF)
- “Considering Legislation on the House Floor: Common Practices in Brief,” CRS Report R43424 (12-page PDF)
- “Speaking on the House Floor: Gaining Time and Parliamentary Phraseology,” CRS Report RS22991 (11-page PDF)
- “House Rules and Precedents Affecting Committee Markup Procedures,” CRS Report 97-1045 (9-page PDF)
- “The Committee Markup Process in the House of Representatives,” CRS Report RL30244 (29-page PDF)
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- Congressional Operations Briefing – Capitol Hill Workshop
- Drafting Federal Legislation and Amendments
- Writing for Government and Business: Critical Thinking and Writing
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- Drafting Effective Federal Legislation and Amendments in a Nutshell, Audio Course on CD
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Publications
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