Sec. 396. Concurrent resolutions of the two
Houses. |
Mr. Jefferson's citation in section XXI has been conformed to current Rules of
the House. In the modern practice concurrent resolutions have been
developed as a means of expressing fact, principles, opinions, and
purposes of the two Houses (II, 1566, 1567). Joint committees are
authorized by resolutions of this form (III, 1998, 1999), and they are
used in authorizing correction of bills agreed to by both Houses (VII,
1042), amendment of enrolled bills (VII, 1041), amendment of conference
reports (VIII, 3308), requests for return of bills sent to the President
(VII, 1090, 1091), authorizing the printing of certain enrolled bills by
hand in the remaining days of a session (H. Con. Res. 436, Dec. 20,
1982, p. 32875), providing for joint session to receive message from the
President (VIII, 3335, 3336), authorizing the printing of congressional
documents (H. Con. Res. 66, July 1, 1969, p. 17948); paying a birthday
tribute to former President Truman (H. Con. Res. 216, Apr. 24, 1969, p.
10213); calling for the humane treatment of prisoners of war in Vietnam
(H. Con. Res. 454, Dec. 15, 1969, p. 39037), and fixing time for final
adjournment (VIII, 3365). The Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-
344) provides for the adoption by both Houses of concurrent resolutions
on the budget which become binding on both Houses with respect to
congressional budget procedures (see Sec. 1127, infra). A concurrent
resolution is binding on neither House until agreed to by both (IV,
3379), and, since not legislative in nature, is not sent to the
President for approval (IV, 3483). A concurrent resolution is not a bill
or joint resolution within the meaning of clause 5 of rule XXI
(requiring a three-fifths vote for approval of such a measure if
carrying an increase in a rate of tax on income) (Speaker Gingrich, May
18, 1995, p. 13499).
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