Note on Use of This Document An index of this nature has certain limitations. Material must be referenced in the index without the advantage of a specific point being at issue. For this reason, the index references may only be the starting point for your research. Often more than one index reference needs to be consulted since issues can arise in more than one context. With this cautionary note in mind the following general rule of usage is offered: The general rule of statutory interpretation is that if the statutory language is clear and unambiguous, it means exactly what it says; but if the language is ambiguous, it must be interpreted in accordance with the legislative history. When an ambiguity arises and you have to look to the legislative history, you look first at the committee reports and then at the floor debates. If the issue cannot be resolved by the committee reports and you have to look to the floor debates, you should give more weight to relevant statements by the floor managers of the bill, if you are interpreting provisions that were in the committee bill as reported to the floor. If you are interpreting language that originated as an amendment offered on the floor, you should give weight to the remarks of the author of the amendment and the reaction to it of the floor managers. |