[Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 105th Congress]
[105th Congress]
[House Document 104-272]
[Jeffersons Manual of ParliamentaryPractice]
[Pages 292-293]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]


 

                          sec. l.--adjournment.



Sec. 584. Parliamentary law as to adjournment of the 
Commons and Lords.

  The two  Houses of Parliament have the sole, separate, and 
independent power of adjourning each their respective Houses. The King 
has no authority to adjourn them; he can only signify his desire, and it 
is in the wisdom and prudence of either House to comply with his 
requisition, or not, as they see fitting. 2 Hats., 232; 1 Blackst., 186; 
5 Grey, 122.
* * * * *





Sec. 585. Motion to adjourn not to be amended.

  A motion  to 
adjourn, simply cannot be amended, as by adding ``to a particular day;'' 
but must be put simply ``that this House do now adjourn;'' and if 
carried in the affirmative, it is adjourned to the next sitting day, 
unless it has come to a previous resolution, ``that at its rising it 
will adjourn to a particular day,'' and then the House is adjourned to 
that day. 2 Hats., 82.



[[Page 293]]

ent with article I, section 5, clause 4 of the 
Constitution, not in excess of three days).

  The modern practice of the House of Representatives adheres to this 
principle (Sec. Sec. 783-784, infra). Clause 4 of rule XVI admits at the 
discretion of the Speaker a separate motion of equal privilege that when 
the House adjourns on that day it stand adjourned to a day and time 
certain (consist-




Sec. 586. Motion for a recess.

  Where it is  convenient that 
the business of the House be suspended for a short time, as for a 
conference presently to be held, &c., it adjourns during pleasure; 2 
Hats., 305; or for a quarter of an hour. 4 Grey, 331.



  An adjournment during pleasure is effected in the House of 
Representatives by a motion for a recess. A recess may not be taken by 
less than a quorum (IV, 2958-2960), and consequently the motion for it 
is not in order in the absence of a quorum (IV, 2955-2957). When the 
hour previously fixed for a recess arrives, the Chair declares the House 
in recess even in the midst of a division or when a quorum is not 
present (V, 6665, 6666; IV, 664); but a roll call is not in this way 
interrupted (V, 6054, 6055). Where a special order requires a recess at 
a certain hour of a certain day, the recess is not taken if the 
encroachment of a prior legislative day prevents the existence of the 
said certain day as a legislative day (IV, 3192). And an adjournment at 
a time prior to the hour fixed for a recess vacates the recess (IV, 
3283). A motion for a recess must, when entertained, be voted on, even 
though the taking of the vote may have been prevented until after the 
hour specified for the conclusion of the proposed recess (V, 6667). A 
Committee of the Whole takes a recess only by permission of the House 
(V, 6669-6671; VIII, 3362). The motion for a recess is not privileged 
(V, 4302, 5301, 6740), in the House or in Committee of the Whole (June 
26, 1981, p. 14356) against a demand that business proceed in the 
regular order (V, 6663; VIII, 3354-3356). However, beginning in the 102d 
Congress a motion to authorize the Speaker to declare a recess was given 
a privilege equal to that of the motion to adjourn (clause 4 of rule 
XVI); and beginning in the 103d Congress the Speaker was authorized to 
declare a recess ``for a short time when no question is pending'' 
(clause 12 of rule I).






Sec. 587. Adjournment pronounced by the 
Speaker.

  If a  question be put for adjournment, it is no adjournment till 
the Speaker pronounces it. 5 Grey, 137. And from courtesy and respect, 
no member leaves his place till the Speaker has passed on.