[Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 110th Congress] [110th Congress] [House Document 109-157] [Jeffersons Manual of ParliamentaryPractice] [Pages 260-263] [From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov] [[Page 260]] sec. xl--bills, third reading
Sec. 492. Obsolete requirements as to reading and passage of bills. | To prevent bills from being passed by surprise, the House, by a standing order, directs that they shall not be put on their passage before a fixed hour, naming one at which the house is commonly full. Hakew., 153. |
Sec. 493. Obsolete parliamentary law as to third reading. | At the third reading the Clerk reads the bill and delivers it to the Speaker, who states the title, that it is the third time of reading the bill, and that the question will be whether it shall pass. Formerly the Speaker, or those who prepared a bill, prepared also a breviate or summary statement of its contents, which the Speaker read when he declared the state of the bill, at the several readings. Sometimes, however, he read the bill itself, especially on its passage. Hakew., 136, 137, 153; Coke, 22, 115. Latterly, instead of this, he, at the third reading, states the whole contents of the bill verbatim, only, instead of reading the formal parts, ``Be it enacted,'' &c., he states that ``preamble recites so and so--the 1st section enacts that, &c.; the 2d section enacts,'' &c. |
Sec. 494. Committal of a bill on third reading. | A bill on the third reading is not to be committed for the matter or body thereof, but to receive some particular clause or proviso, it hath been sometimes suffered, but as a thing very unusual. Hakew., 156. Thus, 27 El., 1584, a bill was committed on the third reading, having been formerly committed on the second, but is declared not usual. D'Ewes, 337, col. 2; 414, col. 2. |
Sec. 495. Obsolete parliamentary practice as to riders. | When an essential provision has been omitted, rather than erase the bill and render it suspicious, they add a clause on a separate paper, engrossed and called a rider, which is read and put to the question three times. Elsynge's Memo., 59; 6 Grey, 335; 1 Blackst., 183. For examples of riders, see 3 Hats., 121, 122, 124, 156. Every one |
Sec. 496. Obsolete requirements as to reading of amendments. | It is laid down, as a general rule, that amendments proposed at the second reading shall be twice read, and those proposed at the third reading thrice read; as also all amendments from the other House. Town., col. 19, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28. |
Sec. 497. Amendments before the third reading. | It is with great and almost invincible reluctance that amendments are admitted at this reading, which occasion erasures or interlineations. Sometimes a proviso has been cut off from a bill; sometimes erased. 9 Grey, 513. |
Sec. 498. Debate in relation to the third reading. | At this reading the bill is debated afresh, and for the most part is more spoken to at this time than on any of the former readings. Hakew., 153. |
Sec. 499. Putting the question on the passage of a bill. | When the debate is ended, the Speaker, holding the bill in his hand, puts the question for its passage, by saying, ``Gentlemen, all you who are of opinion that this bill shall pass, say aye;'' and after the answer of the ayes, ``All those of the contrary opinion, say no.'' Hakew., 154. |