AMENDMENT OF CONFERENCE REPORTS 51. It is not in order to amend a conference report, and it must be accepted or rejected as an entirety. (1366.) [Jefferson's Manual, Sec. XLVI; 4th Cong., 1st sess., Sen. Jour., p. 270. NOTE. Various instances are found where conference reports agreed to by both Houses were amended and corrected by concurrent resolution or order. (43d Cong., 2d sess., Sen. Jour., pp. 372, 373, Ho. Jour., p. 610; Cong. Rec., p. 1990; 44th Cong., 1st sess., Sen. Jour., pp. 581, 708, Ho. Jour., pp. 1087, 1252; 48th Cong., 1st sess., Sen. Jour., p. 859.) REFERENCE AND RECOMMITMENT OF CONFERENCE REPORTS 52. A conference report may not be referred to a standing committee. (1413.) 53. A conference report may not be referred to the Committee of the Whole, although in the earlier history of the House this was sometimes done. (1410, 1411.) 54. It is not in order in the House to recommit a conference report to the committee of conference. (1412). NOTE. This rule is founded upon the decision of Speaker Carlisle (49th Cong., 2d sess., Cong. Rec., p. 880), which has been affirmed by subsequent Speakers, but prior to that time many instances had occurred of recommitting conference reports to the committee of conference. 55. It is in order in the Senate to recommit a conference report to the committee of conference, but not with instructions, according to the later decisions. [42d Cong., 3d sess., Sen. Jour., pp 313, 554 557, 43d Cong, 1st sess. Sen Jour, p. 885; 44th Cong., 1st sess., Sen Jour., p. 211; 49th Cong 24 sess., Sen Jour., p. 151; 55th Cong., 3d sess, Cong. Rec., pp. 2823. 2842-3. NOTE. Inasmuch as concurrent action is necessary for the recommittal of a conference report, the foregoing rule of the House has necessitated a change in the practice, and no effort has been made by the Senate in late years to recommit a conference report. The purpose of a recommittal can be attained, however, by a rejection of the report, when another conference would be ordered, and in accordance with usage the same conferees would be appointed. 32369-599 TABLING OF CONFERENCE REPORTS 56. The House has formally discarded the old practice of allowing conference reports to be laid on the table. (14071409.) NOTE.-The effect of the motion to lay on the table in the House defeats the proposition. It is never taken up again. Hence a conference report can not be laid on the table; otherwise a conference report might be put beyond the reach of either House. (Reed's Parliamentary Rules, Chap. VIII, sec. 115.) 57. The Senate practice allows conference reports to be laid on the table. [43d Cong., 2d sess., Sen. Jour., p. 433; Cong. Rec., pp. 2205-2206. NOTE.-The effect of the motion to lay on the table in the Senate, unlike that in the House, is simply to suspend the consideration of a question during the pleasure of the Senate, which can be again taken up on motion. 58. A motion to reconsider the vote on agreeing to a conference report may be laid on the table in the Senate without carrying the report. [44th Cong., 1st sess., Sen. Jour., p. 234; Cong. Rec., p. 1253, 1254; Senate Manual (1901), Rule XIII, clause 1, p, 13. WITHDRAWAL OF CONFERENCE REPORTS 59. A conference report may be withdrawn in the Senate on leave, and in the House by unanimous consent. NOTE. In the 32d Congress, a conference report having been agreed to in the Senate, the vote was reconsidered, the bill returned from the House on request of the Senate, and the committee of conference had leave to withdraw its report. (32d Cong., 2d sess., Sen. Jour., p. 420.) Congress, FORM OF CONFERENCE REPORT Session. H. R. [or S., as may be] No. CONFERENCE REPORT The committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendments of the Senate [or House, as may be] to the Bill [or Resolution, as may be] (H. R. [or S., as may be]), [title here] having met, after full and free conference have agreed to recommend and do recommend to their respective Houses as follows: That the Senate (or House, as may be] recede from its amendments numbered That the House [or Senate, as may be] recede from its disagreements to the amendments of the Senate [or House, as may be] numbered and agree to the same. Amendment numbered: That the House [or Senate, as may be] recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate [or House, as may be numbered and agree to the same with an and the Senate [or amendment, as follows: House, as may be] agree to the same. Amendment numbered That the Senate [or House, as may be] recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the House [or Senate, as may be] to the amendment of the Senate [or House, as may be] numbered and agree to the same. Amendment numbered - : That the Senate [or House, as may be] recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the House [or Senate, as may be] to the amendment of the Senate [or House, as may and agree to the same, with an be] numbered amendment, as follows: Senate, as may be] agree to the same. Amendments numbered On the amendments of the Senate [or House, as may be] numbered, the committee of conference have been unable to agree. (Signatures here) (Signatures here) Managers on the part of the Managers on the part of the FORM OF STATEMENT TO ACCOMPANY A CONFERENCE REPORT REQUIRED BY HOUSE RULE XXVIII The managers on the part of the House at the conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendments of the Senate [or House, as may be] to the bill [or resolution] [number and title here] submit the following detailed statement in explanation of the effect of the action agreed upon and recommended in the conference report, namely― (Signatures here) Managers on the part of the House. |