Constitution of the United States of America, with the Amendments Thereto: to which are Added Jefferson's Manual of Parliamentary Practice, the Standing Rules, Joint Rules, and Orders for Conducting Business in the House of Representatives of the United States, and Barclay's Digest

RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

125

examine into the legislative, civil, and criminal proceedings of the Territories, and to devise and report to the House such means as, in their opinion, may be necessary to secure the rights and privileges of residents and non-residents.-December 13, 1825.

92. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions to take into consideration all such matters respecting pensions for services in the revolutionary war, other than invalid pensions, as shall be referred to them by the House-January 10, 1831; and all matters relating to pensions to soldiers of the war of 1812 shall be referred to the said committee.-March 26, 1867.

93. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Invalid Pensions to take into consideration all such matters respecting invalid pensions as shall be referred to them by the House-January 10, 1831; except such as relate to pensions to soldiers of the war of 1812.— March 26, 1867.

94. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Railways and Canals to take into consideration all such petitions and matters or things relating to roads and canals, and the improvement of the navigation of rivers, as shall be presented, or may come in question, and be referred to them by the House; and to report thereupon, together with such propositions relative thereto as to them shall seem expedient.-December 15, 1831.

[The name of this committee was changed from "Roads and Canals," to "Railways and Canals."-April 9, 1869.]

95. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Patents to consider all subjects relating to patents which may be referred to them; and report their opinion thereon, together with such propositions relative thereto as may seem to them expedient.-September 15, 1837.

96. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds to consider all subjects relating to the public edifices and grounds within the city of Washington, and all the public buildings constructed by the United States which may be referred to them; and report their opinion thereon, together with such propositions relating thereto as may seem to them expedient.-September 15, 1837; March 10, 1871.

97. [This rule, which prescribed the duty of the Committee of Revisal and Unfinished Business, was virtually rescinded by the resolution of July 25, 1868, abolishing the said committee and creating a Committee on the Revision of the Laws.]

98. It shall be the duty of the Committee of Accounts to superintend and control the expenditures of the contingent fund of the House of Representatives-December 17, 1805; also to audit and settle all accounts which may be charged thereon.-December 23, 1811.

99. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Mileage to ascertain and report the distance to the Sergeant-at-Arms for which each member shall receive pay.-September 15, 1837.

100. There shall be referred by the Clerk to the members of the Committee on Printing on the part of the House all drawings, maps, charts, or other papers, which may at any time come before the House for engraving, lithographing, or publishing in any way; which committee shall report to the House whether the same ought, in their opinion, to be published; and if the House order the publication of the same, that said committee shall direct the size and manner of execution of all such maps, charts, drawings, or other papers, and contract by agreement in writing, for all such engraving, lithographing, printing, drawing, and coloring as may be ordered by the House; which agreement, in writing, shall be furnished by said committee to the Committee of Accounts, to govern said committee in all allowances for such works, and it shall be in order for said committee to report at all times.—March 16, 1844.

[So much of this rule as is printed in italics was inserted on the 19th of March, 1860, and so much of the rule of March 16, 1844, as imposed these duties upon the Committee on Engraving was stricken out, thereby abolishing the latter committee.]

101. It shall be in order for the Committee on Enrolled BillsMarch 13, 1822-and the Committee on Printing to report at any time.-March 16, 1860.

102. Six additional standing committees shall be appointed at the commencement of the first session in each Congress, whose duty shall continue until the first session of the ensuing Congress.March 30, 1816.

To consist of seven members each, except the Committees on Expenditures in the Treasury Department and in the Department of Justice, which consist of nine members each.

1. A committee on so much of the public accounts and expenditures as relates to the Department of State;

RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

127

2. A committee on so much of the public accounts and expenditures as relates to the Treasury Department;

3. A committee on so much of the public accounts and expenditures as relates to the Department of War;

4. A committee on so much of the public accounts and expenditures as relates to the Department of the Navy;

5. A committee on so much of the public accounts and expenditures as relates to the Post Office;

6. A committee on so much of the public accounts and expenditures as relates to the Public Buildings;

7. A committee on so much of the public accounts and expenditures as relates to the Interior Department; and,

8. A committee on so much of the public accounts and expenditures as relates to the Department of Justice.

[The last two named committees created respectively, No. 7 March 16, 1860, and No. 8 January 16, 1874, are added to this rule, though strictly neither belong to it. A careful examination of the rule will show the need of revision. These committees were originally composed of five members each. January 21, 1876, first session Forty-fourth Congress, the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of Justice was increased to nine members; and March 21, 1876, the Committee on Expenditures in the Treasury Department was increased to nine members. January 28, 1878, first session, Forty-fifth Congress, the other committees on Expenditures in the Executive Departments were increased to seven members each.

103. It shall be the duty of the said committees to examine into the state of the accounts and expenditures respectively submitted to them, and to inquire and report particularly—

Whether the expenditures of the respective departments are jus tified by law;

Whether the claims from time to time satisfied and discharged by the respective departments are supported by sufficient vouchers, establishing their justness both as to their character and amount;

Whether such claims have been discharged out of funds appropriated therefor, and whether all moneys have been disbursed in conformity with appropriation laws; and

Whether any, and what, provisions are necessary to be adopted, to provide more perfectly for the proper application of the public moneys, and to secure the government from demands unjust in their character or extravagant in their amount.

And it shall be, moreover, the duty of the said committees to re

port, from time to time, whether any, and what, retrenchment can be made in the expenditures of the several departments, without detriment to the public service; whether any, and what, abuses at any time exist in the failure to enforce the payment of moneys which may be due to the United States from public defaulters or others; and to report, from time to time, such provisions and arrangements as may be necessary to add to the economy of the several departments and the accountability of their officers.-March 30, 1816.

It shall be the duty of the several committees on public expenditures to inquire whether any offices belonging to the branches or Departments, respectively, concerning whose expenditures it is their duty to inquire, have become useless or unnecessary; and to report, from time to time, on the expediency of modifying or abolishing the same; also, to examine into the pay and emoluments of all offices under the laws of the United States; and to report, from time to time, such a reduction or increase thereof as a just economy and the public service may require.-February 19, 1817.

OF COMMITTEES OF THE WHOLE.

104. The House may at any time, by a vote of a majority of the members present, suspend the rules and orders for the purpose of going into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union; and also for providing for the discharge of the Committee of the Whole House, and the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union-January 25, 1848; from the further consideration of any bill referred to it, after acting without debate on all amendments pending and that may be offered.-March 11, 1844.

[Prior to March 16, 1860, this rule formed a part of Rule 145.]

105. In forming a Committee of the Whole House, the Speaker shall leave his chair, and a chairman, to preside in committee, shall be appointed by the Speaker.-April 7, 1789.

[Originally the rule failed to prescribe the mode of appointing a chairman of the Committee of the Whole. He was appointed by the House by nomination and vote thereon. That practice became very inconvenient; and on the 13th November, 1794, the rule was amended by adding "by the Speaker." By Rule 9, the chairman has power, in case of any disturbance or disorderly conduct in the galleries or lobby, to order the same to be cleared.]

RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

129

106. Whenever the Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union, or the Committee of the Whole House, finds itself without a quorum, the chairman shall cause the roll of the House to be called, and thereupon the committee shall rise, and the chairman shall report the name of the absentees to the House, which shall be entered on the journal.-December 18, 1847.

107. Upon bills committed to a Committee of the Whole House, the bill shall be first read throughout by the Clerk, and then again read and debated by clauses, leaving the preamble to be last considered; the body of the bill shall not be defaced or interlined; but all amendments, noting the page and line, shall be duly entered by the Clerk on a separate paper, as the same shall be agreed to by the committee, and so reported to the House. After report, the bill shall again be subject to be debated and amended by clauses, before a question to engross it be taken.-April 17, 1789.

[This refers to bills in manuscript and bills from the Senate. At that time it was not the practice to print bills as at present.]

108. All amendments made to an original motion in committee shall be incorporated with the motion, and so reported.-April 7, 1789.

109. All amendments made to a report committed to a Committee of the Whole House shall be noted, and reported, as in the case of bills.-April 7, 1789.

110. No motion or proposition for a tax or charge upon the people shall be discussed the day on which it is made or offered, and every such proposition shall receive its first discussion in a Committee of the Whole House.-November 13, 1794.

111. No sum or quantum of tax or duty, voted by a Committee of the Whole House, shall be increased in the House until the motion or proposition for such increase shall be first discussed and voted in a Committee of the Whole House; and so in respect to the time of its continuance.-November 13, 1794.

112. All proceedings touching appropriations of money and all bills making appropriations of money or property, or requiring such appropriations to be made, or authorizing payments out of appropriations already made, shall be first discussed in a Committee of the Whole House.-January 13, 1874.

[This rule as adopted November 13, 1794, was as follows: "All proceedings, touching appropriations of money, shall be first moved and discussed in a Com

« Anterior Continuar »

Libros

Constitution of the United States of America, with the Amendments Thereto ...