Rules of The House of Representatives of The United States
RULE XIV: ORDER AND PRIORITY OF BUSINESS
1. The daily order of business (unless varied by the application of other rules and except for the disposition of matters of higher precedence) shall be as follows:
First. Prayer by the Chaplain.
Second. Reading and approval of the Journal, unless postponed under clause 8 of rule XX.
Third. The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
Fourth. Correction of reference of public bills.
Fifth. Disposal of business on the Speaker’s table as provided in clause 2.
Sixth. Unfinished business as provided in clause 3.
Seventh. The morning hour for the consideration of bills called up by committees as provided in clause 4.
Eighth. Motions that the House resolve into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union subject to clause 5.
Ninth. Orders of the day.
2. Business on the Speaker’s table shall be disposed of as follows:
(a) Messages from the President shall be referred to the appropriate committees without debate.
(b) Communications addressed to the House, including reports and communications from heads of departments and bills, resolutions, and messages from the Senate, may be referred to the appropriate committees in the same manner and with the same right of correction as public bills and public resolutions presented by Members, Delegates, or the Resident Commissioner.
(c) Motions to dispose of Senate amendments on the Speaker’s table may be entertained as provided in clauses 1, 2, and 4 of rule XXII.
(d) SSenate bills and resolutions substantially the same as House mea sures already favorably reported and not required to be considered in the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union may be disposed of by motion. Such a motion shall be privileged if offered by direction of all reporting committees having initial jurisdiction of the House measure.
3. Consideration of unfinished business
in which the House may have been
engaged at an adjournment, except
business in the morning hour and proceedings
postponed under clause 8 of
rule XX, shall be resumed as soon as
the business on the Speaker’s table is
finished, and at the same time each
day thereafter until disposed of. The
consideration of all other unfinished
business shall be resumed whenever the
class of business to which it belongs
shall be in order under the rules.
4. After the unfinished business has
been disposed of, the Speaker shall call
each standing committee in regular
order and then select committees. Each
committee when named may call up for
consideration a bill or resolution reported
by it on a previous day and on
the House Calendar. If the Speaker
does not complete the call of the committees
before the House passes to
other business, the next call shall resume
at the point it left off, giving
preference to the last bill or resolution
under consideration. A committee that
has occupied the call for two days may
not call up another bill or resolution
until the other committees have been
called in their turn.
5. After consideration of bills or resolutions
under clause 4 for one hour, it
shall be in order, pending consideration
thereof, to entertain a motion that the
House resolve into the Committee of
the Whole House on the state of the
Union or, when authorized by a committee,
that the House resolve into the
Committee of the Whole House on the
state of the Union to consider a particular
bill. Such a motion shall be
subject to only one amendment designating
another bill. If such a motion is
decided in the negative, another such
motion may not be considered until the
matter that was pending when such
motion was offered is disposed of.
6. All questions relating to the priority of business shall be decided by a majority without debate.
Rule I Rule II Rule III Rule IX Rule V Rule VI Rule VII Rule VIII Rule IX Rule X Rule XI Rule XII Rule XIII Rule XIVRule XV Rule XVI Rule XVII Rule XVIII Rule XIX Rule XX Rule XXI Rule XXII Rule XXIII Rule XXIV Rule XXV Rule XXVI
Rule XXVII Rule XXVIII