[House Practice: A Guide to the Rules, Precedents and Procedures of the House]
[Chapter 9. Calendars]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]
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CHAPTER 9 - CALENDARS
HOUSE PRACTICE
Sec. 1. In General; Kinds of Calendars
Sec. 2. Referrals to Calendars
Sec. 3. -- Erroneous Referrals
Sec. 4. Discharge From Calendars
Sec. 5. The Corrections Calendar
Research References
4 Hinds Sec. Sec. 3115-3118
7 Cannon Sec. Sec. 881-1023
Deschler Ch 22 Sec. Sec. 1, 2
Manual Sec. Sec. 828-830, 892, 898
Sec. 1 . In General; Kinds of Calendars
Under rule XIII clause 1, the House maintains various calendars to
facilitate the scheduling and consideration of its legislative
business. These include:
The House Calendar. This calendar receives referrals of public
bills that do not raise revenue or directly or indirectly make
or require an appropriation of money or property. Manual
Sec. 828.
The Union Calendar. Measures belonging on the Union Calendar
are those on subjects which fall within the jurisdiction of the
Committee of the Whole. Deschler Ch 22 Sec. 2. Subjects which
must be considered in the Committee of the Whole are specified
in rule XVIII clause 3. Bills appropriating money or property
are referred to the Union Calendar. Manual Sec. Sec. 828, 973.
The same is true of bills authorizing an undertaking by a
governmental agency which will incur an expense to the
government, however small. 8 Cannon Sec. 2401.
The Private Calendar (to which are referred bills of a private
character). See Private Calendar.
The Corrections Calendar. Sec. 5, infra.
The Discharge Calendar (to which are referred motions to
discharge committees). Manual Sec. Sec. 830, 892; see
Discharging Measures From Committees.
These calendars--the Discharge Calendar excepted--consist
primarily of lists of measures on which committee action has been
completed and
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which are ready for floor action. They are printed daily and appear in
Calendars of the United States House of Representatives.
Calendar Wednesday and Suspension of the Rules are not legislative
calendars. Calendar Wednesday refers to the procedure for the call of
committees on Wednesday for the consideration of unprivileged bills on
the House and Union Calendars. See Calendar Wednesday. Suspension of
the Rules refers to the procedure under which the House considers
motions to suspend the rules on Monday and Tuesday. See Suspension of
Rules.
Sec. 2 . Referrals to Calendars
Measures Reported Favorably
Bills that are favorably reported from a committee are referred to
the appropriate calendar under the direction of the Speaker unless
referred to other committees under rule XII clause 2. Manual Sec. 816.
Public bills favorably reported are referred either to the Union
Calendar or to the House Calendar. Deschler Ch 22 Sec. 2. Bills
favorably reported and placed on either calendar may be placed on the
Corrections Calendar under the procedures prescribed in rule XV clause
6.
The reference of a bill to a particular calendar is governed by
the text of the bill as referred to committee, and amendments reported
by a committee are not considered in making this determination. 8
Cannon Sec. 2392.
Measures Reported Unfavorably
Bills and resolutions that are adversely reported from committee
are not referred to a calendar unless a request to that effect is made
by the committee or a Member. Deschler Ch 22 Sec. 1.1. Under rule XIII
clause 2(a)(2), Members have three days in which to request such a
referral. Manual Sec. 832. Such request is normally communicated by
the committee to the Clerk at the time of reporting, although it also
may be made by a Member from the floor. Absent such a request, an
adversely reported measure is laid on the table. Manual Sec. 832.
Thereafter, it may be taken from the table and placed on the calendar
only by unanimous consent. 6 Cannon Sec. 750.
Privileged measures are excepted from the general rule that only
favorably reported bills are referred to a calendar. Adverse reports
on privileged resolutions (including resolutions of inquiry) are
automatically referred to the proper calendar by the Speaker. 6 Cannon
Sec. 411.
Measures Reported Improperly
A bill that has been improperly reported from a committee is not
entitled to a place on the calendar, and should be recommitted. 4
Hinds Sec. 3117.
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Sec. 3 . -- Erroneous Referrals
A bill that is on the wrong calendar is subject to a point of
order when it is called up for consideration. Manual Sec. 828; 6
Cannon Sec. Sec. 746, 747. Such a point of order is untimely if made
after consideration of the measure has begun. 7 Cannon Sec. 856.
The Speaker has general authority to correct an erroneous
reference by him of a reported bill to a calendar, and to transfer the
bill to the proper calendar. Manual Sec. 828; 7 Cannon Sec. 859. Thus,
a private bill erroneously referred to the Union Calendar may be
transferred to the Private Calendar by direction of the Speaker.
Manual Sec. 828. The transfer of the bill to the proper calendar may
be made effective as of the date of the original reference. Deschler
Ch 22 Sec. 1.2. The Speaker may correct such a reference at any time
before consideration of the bill begins and while the question of
consideration is pending. 6 Cannon Sec. 748. The authority of the
Speaker to correct a calendar reference does not apply where the
reference was made by the House itself. 6 Cannon Sec. 749.
An error in the referral of a bill to a calendar may also be
corrected pursuant to motion. Such a motion presents a question of the
privileges of the House. 3 Hinds Sec. Sec. 2614, 2615. However, a mere
clerical error in the calendar, such as an incorrect date, does not
give rise to such a question. 3 Hinds Sec. 2616.
Sec. 4 . Discharge From Calendars
Although the Speaker has no specific authority under the House
rules to remove a reported bill from the Union Calendar, he may
discharge such a bill for reference to another committee pursuant to
his general responsibility under rule XII clause 2 to fashion
sequential referrals where appropriate. Manual Sec. 816. Section
401(b) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and rule X clause
4(a)(2) give the Speaker discretionary authority to discharge a bill
from the Union Calendar and refer for 15 days to the Committee on
Appropriations bills reported by another committee providing certain
new entitlement authority. Manual Sec. Sec. 747, 1127.
Sec. 5 . The Corrections Calendar
Under rule XV clause 6, bills favorably reported from committee
and on the House or Union Calendar are also eligible for placement on
the Corrections Calendar. Placement on the calendar is by direction of
the Speaker in his discretion (after consultation with the Minority
Leader). The Speaker
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may discharge a bill from the Corrections Calendar at any time. Manual
Sec. 898.
Bills on the calendar may be called up for consideration in the
House on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at any time and
in any order. Manual Sec. 898. Such bills are debatable for one hour
but are not subject to amendment unless offered by the committee of
primary jurisdiction or its chairman or his designee. Bills called up
under this procedure require a three-fifths vote for passage. Manual
Sec. 898.