[Deschler's Precedents]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access]
[DOCID:52093c03_txt-5]
[Page 160-161]
CHAPTER 3
Party Organization
B. PARTY CAUCUS OR CONFERENCE
Sec. 4. Adoption of Rules; Recent Changes
[Note: Later versions of the caucus rules will be discussed in
supplements to this edition as they appear.]
The party caucus or conference adopts rules that govern its
proceedings.(10) The Republicans have in the past adopted as
the rules for the conference the rules of the preceding Congress so far
as applicable and except as modified.(11) Democratic Caucus
rules adopted at the commencement of each Congress have, with few
exceptions, remained substantially unchanged for a period of many
years. The earlier caucus rules are set forth elsewhere,(12)
and a more recent, though substantially similar, version was inserted
in the Record of the 92d Congress.(13) Only the significant
changes in the rules will be noted here.(14)
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10. See 8 Cannon's Precedents Sec. Sec. 3603, 3604a, 3609, and 3610.
11. 8 Cannon's Precedents Sec. 3610. See also Riddick, Floyd M.,
Congressional Procedure, Chapman and Grimes (Boston, 1941), p.
32.
12. See 8 Cannon's Precedents Sec. 3609.
13. 117 Cong. Rec. 434, 92d Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 25, 1971.
14. Further discussion of the caucus rules as they relate to specific
subjects is to be found in the sections that deal with such
subjects. See, for example, Sec. 9, infra, for discussion of
election of Members to committees; and Sec. 10, infra, for
discussion of instances in which party members will be
considered bound by vote of the caucus.
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[[Page 161]]
Some changes have taken place in the caucus rules with respect to
time and place of meeting and the agenda. Former rule 3(15)
provided simply that ``Meetings of the Democratic Caucus may be called
by the Chairman upon his own motion, and shall be called by him
whenever requested in writing by 25 members of the caucus.''
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15. 8 Cannon's Precedents Sec. 3609.
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The present rule(16) specifies in some detail the
conditions under which meetings will be held and the matters that will
form the agenda.
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16. Rule 3, Democratic Caucus Rules (July 20, 1971), quoted in Sec. 3,
supra.
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Present rule 4 provides, as did the former rule 4, that ``A quorum
of the Caucus shall consist of a majority of the Democratic Members of
the House.'' Additional language in the present rule 4, however, sets
forth specific limits on the business that may be transacted in the
absence of a quorum. The rule states:(17)
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17. Rule 4, Democratic Caucus Rules (July 20, 1971).
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4. . . . If the absence of a quorum is established, the
chairman may continue the meeting for purposes of discussion only,
but no motion of any kind, except a motion to adjourn, shall be in
order at such continued meeting.
Finally, with respect to persons permitted to attend meetings of
the caucus, the former rule 10(18) prohibited all but
certain persons from attending meetings. The present rule
10(19) gives to the caucus chairman some authority to admit
persons to meetings.
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18. 8 Cannon's Precedents Sec. 3609.
19. Democratic Caucus Rules (July 20, 1971), quoted in Sec. 3, supra.
Note: An addendum to the caucus rules as adopted in 1973
set forth certain procedures to be followed when it was
proposed that a bill be considered in the House pursuant to a
closed rule. The procedures to be followed in such
circumstances were designed primarily to afford the caucus an
opportunity to decide whether the bill should be open to
particular amendments. Some discussion of the operation of this
provision can be found in Ch. 21, infra, of this edition.
Further discussion will be found in this chapter in supplements
to this edition as they appear.
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