From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Adoption / Adopted / Agreed To U.S. HOUSE RESOLUTION PRESSES TURKEY TO RETURN STOLEN CHRISTIAN CHURCHES Adoption / Adopted: Usual parliamentary term for approval of conference report. Under House Rule XI – Procedures of Committees and Unfinished Business, “Each standing committee … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Precedents of the House of Representatives / Cannon’s / Deschler’s / Hinds’ / House Practice House Parliamentarian discusses congressional precedent and rules with Foxx Precedent: Previous ruling by a presiding officer that becomes part of the procedures of a chamber. Each chamber of … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Calendar Wednesday On Wednesdays in the House, committees may be called in the order in which they appear in Rule X of the House, for the purpose of bringing up any of their bills for either the House or the Union Calendar, except bills that … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Privilege / Privileged Questions / Question of Privilege Privilege relates to the rights of members of Congress and to relative priority of the motions and actions they may make in their respective chambers. The two are distinct. “Privileged questions” deal with legislative business. “Questions of … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Suspend the Rules / Suspension of the Rules Suspension of the Rules: Expeditious procedure for passing noncontroversial measures in the House. Requires a two-thirds vote of those present and voting, after forty minutes of debate, and does not allow floor amendments. This procedure, for largely … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Legislative Day Time a chamber meets after an adjournment until the time it next adjourns. The “day” extending from the time either chamber meets after an adjournment until the time it next adjourns. Because the House normally adjourns from day to day, legislative days and … Read more
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. … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Adjourn photo credit: Gaffke Photography v2.8 Adjourn: Formal motion to end a day’s session of a chamber of Congress. A motion to adjourn in the Senate (or a committee) ends that day’s session. Adjournment is not a recess. Because procedures are so strictly determined when … Read more