Show Strict Rules Rudes Save Congress I From Becoming Chaco tic Mob By RODNEY DUTCHER NEA Service Writer Copyright 1932 NEA Service Inc WASHINGTON Feb 9 Th T The h c e most Important session or congress I since ince the World war is under way Huge appropriations are being made major questions are arc being decided de- de legislation of reaching far Importance Im- Im to every man woman and child hild in the land is being enacted But does the American public really understand the rules under which congress operates with matters so vi vital vital vital vi- vi tal to It Lewis Deschler is parliamentarian of f the house of representatives He HeIs Heis Hes Is s famous as an nn authority he has studied such things in Europe and und America for many years jears and now as s the result of recent liberalization changes hanges he calls the houses house's rules the most finely adjusted I- I cally ally cally balanced and highly technical rules ules of any parliamentary body Inthe in inthe the he world I With Mr Deschler's assistance I have prepared this explanatory ar- ar tide Icle If there were no rio rules the house would be merely a chaotic babbling body ody of at men who would produce no legislation at all Under its rules the house can do business whenever a majority de de- sires In lau 1841 the house adopted its hour rule which says no member may occupy more than an hour in debate Moving the previous question is the he really effective weapon which limits any further debate on or amendment of a measure ROLL CALL TAKES AN HOUR It takes hat half an hour for a roll calI when the more than members of he the house vote Individually Because of ot this they often vote in groups of ayes and nays when the speaker puts the question How the more Important rules work vork is best indicated by following an imaginary appropriation or tax bill which is Introduced and arid referred lets let's lets let's say to the ways and means committee The committee reports the bill to the he floor directing its chairman to get it through the house The committee com corn mitlee report is printed and the measure measure mea inca sure referred to the proper calendar of at business All il bills to raise revenue or approbating appropriating bating money shall be referred to the he calendar of the committee of the whole on an the state of the Union So that's hats where our bill goes Before it itcan itcan itcan can be considered by the house it ft must be considered in that committee commit- commit tee ee which meets on the floor and consists consists consists con con- of the entire house membership It is the workshop of at the house housein housen in n which nearly all debate takes pl place c Thus do bills appropriating millions or millions-or or hundreds of millions millions- millions millions- of ot dollars get full attention No member may speak longer than five minutes on any amendment he may propose COMMITTEE Il OF THE WHOLE Other members can get five minutes minutes min mm- utes if they want It by the device of moving to strike out the last word worda a a pretended attempt at amend amend- ment meat This may go on indefinitely but a majority can always stop a fill- fill buster by passing a motion to close debate Sometimes a member asks unanimous consent to speak fur fur- there then He may continue if it no one objects Tax bills tariff bills bonus bills relief bills appropriation bills and many other important measures go into nto the committee of ot the whole before they are arc voted on by the house This committee gets a bill after the chairman reporting it asks the house to resolve itself into the committee of ot the whole hole He usually asks that debate be limited to a specified time perhaps one hour perhaps 20 hours half half the time tune to be controlled by bj I himself and half hal by the ranking committee committee com corn I member on the minority side The speaker appoints a chairman for forthe forthe forthe the committee of the whole and becomes becomes be be- comes merely a member Then the whole bill is taken up paragraph b by paragraph and each I part is subject to amendment or specific specific debate Although the debate can ran be limited in practice any member mem- mem bet bet- gets a chance to address the house on a given point if jf he so de desires de- de sires Amendments are voted on except except ex ex- the make believe amendments of ot those members who move to strike strikeout strikeout strikeout out the last word so that they may obtain time FINAL ACTION Debate and reading end ended cd the chairman of the standing committee which originally reported the bill moves that the committee of the whole arise and report back the measure with the amendments and recommendation for tor passage The votes arc are viva voce to save time The speaker gets geLs into his chair and the he chairman of the committee of the he whole reports the lion tion The speaker formally reports that to the house The original committee committee com corn chairman then moves the previous question which being or ordered or- or dered cuts off further debate This question is usually on agreeing to the amendments as made by the committee committee com corn of the whole It is usually agreed to without a roll call The first reading com comes when the bill Dill is introduced and its title and purpose noted in the Congressional Record The second reading comes when it Is taken up for amendment and the third of the bill as engrossed when the clerk reads the title Bills are no longer actually read to the house because that would take up all the time there is Now printed copies are available to all aU Finally getting back to our bill blU the house votes voles on its passage viva passage viva voce by teller or by roll roIl call caU if it demanded The clerk then sends the bill to the senate The senate goes through about the same procedure as the house although its rules are different differ dIffer- ent If It house or senate disagree with the other body's amendments the latter asks for a conference Members Members Mem Mern- bers of ot the conference committee are appointed from each house by the presiding officer and they nearly al always always always al- al ways reach an art agreement |