Committee of the Whole (United States House of Representatives): Difference between revisions
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In the [[United States House of Representatives]], a '''Committee of the Whole House''' is a [[United States congressional committee|congressional committee]] that includes all members of the House. In modern practice there is only one such committee, the '''Committee of the Whole House on the <!-- lower-case -->state of the Union''', which has original consideration of all bills on the [[Union Calendar]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.votesmart.org/resource_govt101_02.php |title=Government 101: How a Bill Becomes Law - Project Vote Smart |publisher=Votesmart.org |date= |accessdate=2012-07-04}}</ref> While assembled the House may resolve itself temporarily into a Committee of the Whole House. Business can then proceed with various procedural requirements relaxed. At the conclusion of business, the committee resolves to "rise" and reports its conclusions (typically in the form of |
In the [[United States House of Representatives]], a '''Committee of the Whole House''' is a [[United States congressional committee|congressional committee]] that includes all members of the House. In modern practice there is only one such committee, the '''Committee of the Whole House on the <!-- lower-case -->state of the Union''', which has original consideration of all bills on the [[Union Calendar]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.votesmart.org/resource_govt101_02.php |title=Government 101: How a Bill Becomes Law - Project Vote Smart |publisher=Votesmart.org |date= |accessdate=2012-07-04}}</ref> While assembled the House may resolve itself temporarily into a Committee of the Whole House. Business can then proceed with various procedural requirements relaxed. At the conclusion of business, the committee resolves to "rise" and reports its conclusions (typically in the form of an amended bill) or lack of conclusion to the speaker. Only the report, and not the committee proceedings, appears in the House Journal. |
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When the House resolves into a Committee of the Whole House, the speaker appoints another member to the chair, and this member is responsible for delivering the committee's report. Conventionally, the speaker appoints a member of the majority party who does not hold the chair of a [[standing committee]]. A Committee of the Whole House requires 100 members for a [[quorum]] as compared to the House's majority of 218, while only 25 members are required to force a recorded rather than voice vote. |
When the House resolves into a Committee of the Whole House, the speaker appoints another member to the chair, and this member is responsible for delivering the committee's report. Conventionally, the speaker appoints a member of the majority party who does not hold the chair of a [[standing committee]]. A Committee of the Whole House requires 100 members for a [[quorum]] as compared to the House's majority of 218, while only 25 members are required to force a recorded rather than voice vote. |
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In the United States House of Representatives, a Committee of the Whole House is a congressional committee that includes all members of the House. In modern practice there is only one such committee, the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, which has original consideration of all bills on the Union Calendar.[1] While assembled the House may resolve itself temporarily into a Committee of the Whole House. Business can then proceed with various procedural requirements relaxed. At the conclusion of business, the committee resolves to "rise" and reports its conclusions (typically in the form of an amended bill) or lack of conclusion to the speaker. Only the report, and not the committee proceedings, appears in the House Journal.
When the House resolves into a Committee of the Whole House, the speaker appoints another member to the chair, and this member is responsible for delivering the committee's report. Conventionally, the speaker appoints a member of the majority party who does not hold the chair of a standing committee. A Committee of the Whole House requires 100 members for a quorum as compared to the House's majority of 218, while only 25 members are required to force a recorded rather than voice vote.
History
The tradition of a committee of the whole originates in the English House of Commons, where it is attested as early as 1607. In only a few years it became a near-daily process used to debate matters without representatives of the Crown present,[2] and the custom was subsequently adopted by deliberative assemblies in other Crown provinces. The American Continental Congress, for example, established committees of the whole "to take into consideration the state of America."
The rules of the House in the 1st United States Congress expressly provided for the House, on any business day, to resolve itself into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union. This procedure was used to discuss matters that were not yet actionable.[3] Since 1807 the President's messages on the State of the Union have been referred to this Committee.[3] Other ad hoc committees of the whole were established and charged through the normal committee process, but in time a custom developed whereby the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union considered public bills and a separate Committee of the Whole House considered all private bills.[3] The Committee of the Whole House for private bills was abolished by the 106th Congress, which transferred their consideration to the House proper.
Participation of non-voting delegates
In 1993, Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), along with the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico and the delegates from Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa, received a limited vote in the Committee of the Whole, based on their right to vote in legislative committees. However, this limited vote stipulated if any of the delegates provided the deciding vote on an issue considered by the Committee of the Whole, a new vote would be conducted and the delegates would not be allowed to vote. The right of delegates to vote in Committee of the Whole was removed by the Republican majority in 1995 after that party gained control of Congress in the 1994 congressional elections.[4] In January 2007, it was proposed by Democrats in the House that the 1993–1994 procedure be revived.[5] The House approved the proposal with the adoption of H.Res. 78 by a vote of 226–191.
On January 5, 2011, on the first day of the newly-Republican controlled House session, the House voted for a rules package again stripping non-voting delegates of their votes in the Committee of the Whole, with a 225–188 vote along party lines to table a motion by Del. Norton providing for further study of the non-voting delegate issue, thereby effectively killing it.[6]
Former use in the United States Senate
The United States Senate used the Committee of the Whole as a parliamentary device until May 16, 1930, when the practice was abolished with respect to bills and joint resolutions. The Senate continued to utilize the Committee of the Whole for consideration of treaties until February 27, 1986,[7] with the passage of S.Res 28.[7]
See also
References
- ^ "Government 101: How a Bill Becomes Law - Project Vote Smart". Votesmart.org. Retrieved 2012-07-04.
- ^ Bond, Maurice (1966) "The History of Parliament and The Evolution of Parliamentary Procedure"
- ^ a b c Hinds, Asher (1907) Hinds' Precedents
- ^ "Eleanor Holmes Norton: Biography and Much More from". Answers.com. Retrieved 2012-07-04.
- ^ "Kansas City infoZine News - Delegates Want an Official Chance to Make Their Voices Heard - USA". Infozine.com. 2007-01-24. Retrieved 2012-07-04.
- ^ Pershing, Ben (2011-01-05). "Washington Post - Norton fails in effort to prevent loss of Committee of the Whole vote". Voices.washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2012-07-04.
- ^ a b "Riddick's Senate Procedure - 101st Congress, 2d Session, Page 335" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 6, 2012. Retrieved July 4, 2012.
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Further reading
- Sinclair, Barbara (1997). Unorthodox Lawmaking: New Legislative Processes in the U.S. Congress. CQ Press. ISBN 1-56802-276-X.