Calendar of Motions to Discharge Committees (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms

Calendar of Motions to Discharge Committees

photo credit: SurfaceWarriors

When a majority of the members of the House sign a motion to discharge a committee from consideration of a public bill or resolution, that motion is referred to the Calendar of Motions to Discharge Committees. This calender, like other House calendars, can be seen on FDsys under “Congressional Calendars“.

Motion to Discharge Committee: A member may present to the clerk a motion in writing to discharge a committee from the consideration of a public bill or resolution that has been referred to it 30 legislative days prior thereto. A member also may file a motion to discharge the Committee on Rules from further consideration of a resolution providing a special rule for the consideration of a public bill or resolution reported by a standing committee, or a special rule for the consideration of a public bill or resolution that has been referred to a standing committee for 30 legislative days. This motion to discharge the Committee on Rules may be made only when the resolution has been referred to that committee at least seven legislative days prior to the filing of the motion to discharge. The motion may not permit consideration of nongermane amendments. The motion is placed in the custody of the Journal Clerk, where members may sign it at the House rostrum when the House is in session. The names of members who have signed a discharge motion are made available electronically and published in the Congressional Record on a weekly basis. When 218 House members have signed the motion, it is entered in the Journal, printed with all the signatures thereto in the Congressional Record, and referred to the Calendar of Motions to Discharge Committees.

On the second and fourth Mondays of each month, except during the last six days of a session, a member who has signed a motion to discharge that has been on the calendar at least seven legislative days may call up the motion. The motion to discharge is debated for 20 minutes, one-half in favor of the proposition and one-half in opposition.

If the motion to discharge a standing committee of the House from a public bill or resolution pending before the committee prevails, a member who signed the motion may move that the House proceed to the immediate consideration of the bill or resolution. If the motion is agreed to, the bill or resolution is considered immediately under the general rules of the House. If the House votes against the motion for immediate consideration, the bill or resolution is referred to its proper calendar with the same status as if reported by a standing committee.

If the motion to discharge the Committee on Rules from a resolution prevails, the House shall immediately consider such resolution. If the resolution is adopted, the House proceeds to its execution. This is the modern practice for utilization of the discharge rule.

Also see

• Calendar of Business
• Union Calendar
• § 6.71, House Calendars, § 6.80, House Floor: Methods of Consideration, § 6.81, Discharge Petition, in Congressional Deskbook
• Chapter 3.F. Amendment Procedure; Chapter 3.G. Reporting Legislation to the Floor; Chapter 4.B. Scheduling of Legislation; Chapter 4.E. Privileged Business; in Congressional Procedure

More

• Discharge Calendar / a Committee / Petition / Resolution (CongressionalGlossary.com)
• Congressional Calendars – FDsys
• Congressional Calendars – Govinfo.gov
• House Calendars – Govinfo.gov
• Senate Calendars – Govinfo.gov
• Discharge Calendars, GPO
• House Committee on Rules
• Congressional Leadership and Committees
• “Discharge Petitions and the House Discharge Rule,” CRS Insight IN10910 (3-page PDF)
• “Calling Up Business on the Senate Floor,” CRS Report 98-836 (8-page PDF)
• “Calendars of the House of Representatives,” CRS Report 98-437 (5-page PDF)
• “Days Reserved for Special Business in the House,” CRS Report 98-142 (5-page PDF)
• “House and Senate Rules of Procedure: A Comparison,” CRS Report RL30945 (19-page PDF)
• “Privileged Business on the House Floor,” CRS Report 98-315 (5-page PDF)

Courses

• Congressional Operations Briefing – Capitol Hill Workshop
• Drafting Federal Legislation and Amendments
• Writing for Government and Business: Critical Thinking and Writing
• Custom, On-Site Training
• Drafting Effective Federal Legislation and Amendments in a Nutshell, Audio Course on CD
• Congress, the Legislative Process, and the Fundamentals of Lawmaking Series, a Nine-Course series on CD

Publications

Legislative Drafter’s Deskbook: A Practical Guide

Pocket Constitution

Citizen’s Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials: A Guide for Citizen Lobbyists and Grassroots Advocates

Congressional Procedure

CongressionalGlossary.com, from TheCapitol.Net