[Deschler-Brown Precedents, Volume 14, Chapter 30]
[Chapter 30. Voting]
[E. Postponing Votes; Clustering Votes; Reduced Voting Time; Separate Votes]
[§ 57. Reduced Voting Time]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
[Page 11850-11857]
CHAPTER 30
Voting
E. POSTPONING VOTES; CLUSTERING VOTES; REDUCED VOTING TIME; SEPARATE
VOTES
Sec. 57. Reduced Voting Time
Speaker's Authority--Rescinding Announced Intention To Reduce Voting
Time on Passage
Sec. 57.1 The utilization of the authority bestowed by Rule XV clause
2(c) to reduce the voting time on passage of a bill to five
minutes, following a 15-minute vote on a motion to recommit, is
completely within the Chair's discretion; and he may rescind his
announced decision to reduce the time at any time before the vote
commences.
An illustration of the Chair's exercise of his discretion is found
in the proceedings of Sept. 29, 1993.(14)
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14. 139 Cong. Rec. p. ______, 103d Cong. 1st Sess. Under consideration
was H.R. 2401, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for
Fiscal Year 1994.
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The Speaker Pro Tempore: (15) Without objection, the
previous question is ordered on the motion to recommit.
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15. Michael R. McNulty (N.Y.).
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There was no objection.
The Speaker Pro Tempore: The question is on the motion to
recommit.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced
that the noes appeared to have it.
[[Page 11851]]
Mr. [Floyd] Spence [of South Carolina]: Mr. Speaker, I demand a
recorded vote.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The Speaker Pro Tempore: The Chair wishes to announce that a
recorded vote on final passage, if ordered, will be a 5-minute
vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yes
192, noes 238, not voting 3. . . .
The Speaker Pro Tempore: The question is on the passage of the
bill.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced
that the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. [Robert S.] Walker [of Pennsylvania]: Mr. Speaker, I demand
a recorded vote.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The Speaker Pro Tempore: Notwithstanding the Chair's prior
announcement, this will be a 15-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yes
268, noes 162, not voting 3. . . .
--Reducing Voting Time When Votes Are ``Back to Back''
Sec. 57.2 The Speaker's authority to reduce electronic voting times to
five minutes where the vote occurs immediately after a 15-minute
vote has been expanded since the concept was first introduced in
the 96th Congress.
As part of the resolution adopting new rules for the 96th Congress,
Rule XV clause 5 was amended on Jan. 15, 1979,(16) to permit
the Speaker to reduce the voting time to five minutes on the passage of
a bill or adoption of a resolution or conference report if the
electronic roll call immediately followed a 15-minute vote on a motion
to recommit.
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16. Rule XV clause 5(b), House Rules and Manual Sec. .774bb (1995).
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e pertinent amendment included in House Resolution 5
(17) on that date was as follows:
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17. 125 Cong. Rec. 8, 96th Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 15, 1979.
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(12) In Rule XV, clause 5, add at the end thereof the following
new sentence: ``The Speaker may, in his discretion, announce after
a rollcall vote has been ordered on a motion to recommit a bill,
resolution, or conference report thereon, that he may reduce to not
less than five minutes the period of time in which a rollcall vote,
if ordered, will be taken by electronic device on the question of
passage or adoption, as the case may be, on such bill, resolution,
or conference report thereon if the question on final passage or
adoption follows without intervening business the vote on the
question of recommittal.''
e authority to reduce voting times was supplemented by amendments
in the 101st,(18) 102d,(19) and 103d
(20) Congresses,
[[Page 11852]]
so the rule was expanded to permit a reduction in voting time to five
minutes immediately following a 15-minute vote in three circumstances:
the vote on passage immediately following a vote on recommittal; the
vote on successive amendments reported to the House from the Committee
of the Whole following a roll call on the first of a series of such
amendments; and on the adoption of a special order of business reported
from the Committee on Rules where there is a 15-minute vote on the
previous question. In the 104th Congress,(1) the permitted
time for any underlying question which immediately follows a 15-minute
previous question vote was established at a minimum of five minutes.
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18. 135 Cong. Rec. 72, 101st Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 3, 1989 (H. Res. 5).
19. 137 Cong. Rec. 39, 102d Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 5, 1991 (H. Res. 5).
20. The authority to reduce to five minutes the time to vote on
adoption of a special order reported from the Committee on
Rules, following a 15-minute vote on the previous question, was
first included in the adoption of the rules of Jan. 5, 1993,
139 Cong. Rec. 50, 103d Cong. 1st Sess. (H. Res. 5).
1. Rule XV clause 5(b), House Rules and Manual Sec. 774bb (1997).
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--Reducing Time on Postponed Votes
Sec. 57.3 Where several ``clusters'' of recorded votes were postponed
pursuant to Rule I clause 5(b)(1), to occur ``back to back,'' only
the first vote in the first cluster was of the 15-minute variety
and succeeding votes, regardless of cluster, were reduced to 5
minutes.
Where the House considered a series of motions to suspend the rules
and then took up seriatim a number of unanimous-consent requests for
the passage of bills and joint resolutions, the Speaker announced
postponement of the suspension votes to follow consideration of the
bills and then postponed the series of votes on the bills brought up by
unanimous consent until after the votes on suspensions. The proceedings
of May 17, 1983,(2) were as follows:
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2. 129 Cong. Rec. 12505, 12507, 98th Cong. 1st Sess.
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The Speaker Pro Tempore: (3) . . . The question is
on the motion offered by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr.
Rostenkowski) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill,
H.R. 2973.
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3. E (Kika) de la Garza (Tex.).
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The question was taken.
Mr. [Dan] Rostenkowski [of Illinois]: Mr. Speaker, on that, I
demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The Speaker Pro Tempore: Pursuant to the provisions of clause 5
of rule I, and the Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings
on this motion will be postponed.
The Chair will now entertain two requests for consideration of
joint resolu
[[Page 11853]]
tions to be called up by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Leland). The
Chair will postpone the votes on suspensions until after the
consideration of these joint resolutions.
Mr. [Mickey] Leland [of Texas]: Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous
consent that the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service be
discharged for further consideration of the Senate joint resolution
(S.J. Res. 51) designating May 21, 1983, as ``Andrei Sakharov
Day,'' and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the Senate joint resolution.
The Speaker Pro Tempore: Is there objection to the request of
the gentleman from Texas? . . .
The Speaker Pro Tempore: The question is on the passage of the
Senate joint resolution.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced
that the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. [Marty] Russo [of Illinois]: Mr. Speaker, I object to the
vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point
of order that a quorum is not present.
The Speaker Pro Tempore: Pursuant to clause 5, rule I, and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question
will be postponed.
The vote will be taken after the recorded vote on H.R. 2973,
the last suspension vote.
The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.
Mr. Leland: Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the
Committee on Post Office and Civil Service be discharged from
further consideration of the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 226) to
designate the week of May 22, 1983, through May 28, 1983, as
``National Digestive Diseases Awareness Week,'' and ask for its
immediate consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the joint resolution.
The Speaker Pro Tempore: Is there objection to the request of
the gentleman from Texas? . . .
The Speaker Pro Tempore: The question is on the engrossment and
third reading of the joint resolution. . . .
The Speaker Pro Tempore: The question is on the passage of the
joint resolution.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced
that the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. Russo: Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The Speaker Pro Tempore: Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I, and
the Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this
question will be postponed. The vote will be taken after the vote
on H.R. 2973, the last suspension vote.
Later in the same day,(4) votes were taken as indicated:
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4. 129 Cong. Rec. 12508, 98th Cong. 1st Sess.
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The Speaker Pro Tempore: Debate has been concluded on all
motions to suspend the rules and on the two joint resolutions.
Pursuant to clause 5, rule I, the Chair will now put the
question on each motion on which further pro
[[Page 11854]]
ceedings were postponed in the order in which that motion was
entertained.
Votes will be taken in the following order:
H.R. 2733, de novo.
House Joint Resolution, by the yeas and nays.
H.R. 1416, by the yeas and nays.
H.R. 2681, by the yeas and nays.
H.R. 2936, by the yeas and nays.
H.R. 2602, by the yeas and nays.
H.R. 2973, by the yeas and nays.
Senate Joint Resolution 51, de novo.
House Joint Resolution 226, by the yeas and nays.
The Chair will reduce to 5 minutes the time for any electronic
votes after the first such vote in this series. . . .
The Speaker Pro Tempore: Pursuant to the provisions of clause
5, rule I, the Chair announces that he will reduce to the minimum
of 5 minutes the period of time within which a vote by electronic
device may be taken on all the additional motions to suspend the
rules on which the Chair has postponed further proceedings and the
two commemorative joint resolutions called up by the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Leland).
Varying Voting Times by Unanimous Consent
Sec. 57.4 The House permitted, by unanimous consent, a reduction of
voting time to five minutes on the first of a series of postponed
suspension votes where that vote was to occur immediately following
a five-minute vote on the passage of another measure.
The proceedings of Nov. 8, 1983,(5) illustrate the use
of a unanimous-consent request to ``tailor'' the clustering authority
to meet specific circumstances:
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5. 129 Cong. Rec. 31505, 31506, 31510, 98th Cong. 1st Sess.
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The Speaker: (6) The question is on the motion to
recommit.
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6. Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr. (Mass.).
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The question was taken; and the Speaker announced that the noes
appeared to have it.
Mr. [Silvio O.] Conte [of Massachusetts]: Mr. Speaker, on that
I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The Speaker: Pursuant to the provisions of clause 5 of rule XV,
the Chair announces that he will reduce to a minimum of 5 minutes
the period of time within which a vote by electronic device, if
ordered, will be taken on the question of the passage of the bill.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas
166, nays 244, not voting 23. . . .
So the motion to recommit was rejected.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
The Speaker: The question is on the passage of the joint
resolution.
The question was taken; and the Speaker announced that the ayes
appeared to have it.
Mr. [Gerald B.] Solomon [of New York]: Mr. Speaker, on that I
demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas
203, nays 206, not voting 24. . . .
[[Page 11855]]
The Speaker: Pursuant to clause 5, rule I, the Chair will now
put the question on each motion to suspend the rules on which
further proceedings were postponed earlier today in the order in
which that motion was entertained.
Votes will be taken in the following order:
H.R. 2982, de novo, and H.R. 2211, de novo.
The Chair will reduce to 5 minutes the time for any electronic
votes after the first such vote in this series.
Mr. [Elliot H.] Levitas [of New York]: Mr. Speaker, I ask
unanimous consent that the time for the vote on the first
suspension, if a vote be taken, be in a 5-minute period.
The Speaker: Is there objection to the request of the gentleman
from Georgia?
There was no objection.
Sec. 57.5 By unanimous consent, waiving the five-minute minimum time
set by clause 5(b)(3) of Rule I, the House authorized the Speaker
to put remaining postponed questions to two-minute electronic
votes.
On Oct. 4, 1988,(7) as the House was proceeding toward
an adjournment, there were 40 roll call votes taken on suspension
motions and procedural questions. After a series of 15-minute votes,
unanimous consent was granted to reduce to two minutes the time for
consideration of the 31 remaining suspension motions.
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7. 134 Cong. Rec. 28126, 28148, 100th Cong. 2d Sess.
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Mr. [Robert H.] Michel [of Illinois]: Mr. Speaker, I ask
unanimous consent that after the vote on the next suspension, the
Speaker be authorized to reduce the time for the balance of the
votes for today to 2 minutes.
The Speaker Pro Tempore: (8) Is there objection to
the request of the gentleman from Illinois?
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8. John P. Murtha (Pa.).
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There was no objection.
The Speaker Pro Tempore: The Chair will state that the next
vote will be 5 minutes, and all votes following that will be 2
minutes. There will be two bells, and the vote will take 2 minutes.
. . .
The Speaker Pro Tempore: The unfinished business is the
question of suspending the rules and passing the Senate bill, S.
795, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the Senate bill.
The Speaker Pro Tempore: The question is on the motion offered
by the gentleman from California [Mr. Miller] that the House
suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 795, as amended, on
which the yeas and nays are ordered.
This is the final vote. Let us give a great round of applause
to the Clerks and the Parliamentarian who did an outstanding job
during this whole series.
This will be a 2-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas
405, nays 12, not voting 14. . . .
[[Page 11856]]
In Committee of the Whole
Sec. 57.6 The Chairman of the Committee of the Whole has discretion
regarding which votes should be reduced to five minutes.
Instance where the Chair, contemplating the exercise of his
authority under clause 2(c), Rule XXIII, to conduct a recorded vote on
the pending amendment to the bill as a five-minute vote if ordered
without intervening business after a 15-minute vote on a substitute
therefor, announced that another recorded vote, already ordered on an
earlier amendment but postponed pursuant to a previous order
(9) would also be a five-minute vote if taken without
intervening business after the questions on the pending
amendments.(10)
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9. On June 12, 1991, a unanimous-consent request was agreed to in the
House which authorized the Chairman of the Committee of the
Whole, during the further consideration of the bill H.R. 2508,
the International Cooperation Act of 1991, to ``postpone
recorded votes, if ordered, on any amendment to the bill until
later that legislative day, and that he be authorized to reduce
to a minimum of five minutes the period of time for recorded
votes after the first vote in any series.'' 137 Cong. Rec.
14403, 102d Cong. 1st Sess.
10. 137 Cong. Rec. 15602, 15609, 15613-15, 102d Cong. 1st Sess., June
20, 1991.
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Mr. [Doug] Bereuter [of Nebraska]:
Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment. It is printed in the
Record.
The Clerk read as follows:
Amendment offered by Mr. Bereuter:
Page 705, after line 13, insert the following new chapter 4
and redesignate existing chapter 4 of title X (and sections
thereof) accordingly:
CHAPTER 4--HORN OF AFRICA RECOVERY AND FOOD SECURITY
SEC. 1061. FINDINGS.
The Congress makes the following findings: . . .
The Chairman Pro Tempore: The question is on the amendment
offered by the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter]. . . .
Mr. Bereuter: Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The Chairman Pro Tempore: (11) Pursuant to a
previous order of the House, the vote on the amendment offered by
the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter] will be postponed until
after debate on the next amendment.
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11. Jim McDermott (Wash.).
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Mr. [Dan] Burton of Indiana: Mr. Chairman, I offer an
amendment.
The Chairman Pro Tempore: Is the amendment printed in the
Record?
Mr. Burton of Indiana: It is, Mr. Chairman.
The Clerk read as follows:
Amendment offered by Mr. Burton of Indiana: Page 688, after
line 3, insert the following: . . .
Mr. [Robert S.] Walker [of Pennsylvania]: Mr. Chairman, I offer
an
[[Page 11857]]
amendment as a substitute for the amendment, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
Amendment offered by Mr. Walker as a substitute for the
amendment offered by Mr. Burton of Indiana, as amended: In lieu
of the matter proposed to be inserted, insert the following:
``Limitation on Assistance''. Assistance for any fiscal
year under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, including
assistance with funds appropriated before the date of enactment
of this Act, may not be delivered to the Communist Party of
South Africa or any affiliated or associated organization. . .
.
Mr. Walker: Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The Chairman Pro Tempore: Pursuant to clause 2(c), rule XXIII,
the Chair announces that he will reduce to 5 minutes the time for a
recorded vote, if ordered, on the Burton amendment, as amended, if
the vote occurs immediately following the pending vote, and then
the postponed vote on the Bereuter amendment, immediately
thereafter, will be a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were-ayes
279, noes 134, not voting 19. . . .
The Chairman Pro Tempore: The pending business is the vote on
the amendment offered by the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Burton],
as amended.
The amendment, as amended, was agreed to.
The Chairman Pro Tempore: The pending business is the vote on
the amendment offered by the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr.
Bereuter], on which a recorded vote is ordered.
This vote will be a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 410,
noes 0, not voting 22.