That a motion to commit a bill has been made and voted down pending consideration of amendments, does not preclude the motion to commit pending the question on its passage specially authorized by Rule XVII.—Congressional Record, 1, 49, p. 6758. It is not in order to move to commit a bill to a committee with instructions to insert what the House has just voted to strike out.—Congressional Record, 1, 49, p. 7613. A motion to refer Senate amendments to a committee takes precedence over the motion to concur, for, otherwise, the refusal to concur being equivalent to nonconcurrence, the matter would in either event be concluded and the House precluded from committing the subject should it so desire.-Congressional Record, 1, 48, p. 3942. An amendment of the Senate not requiring consideration in Committee of the Whole is, when laid before the House for action, subject to the motion to commit and other parliamentary motions, provided the previous question is not demanded and ordered on the motion to concur.-Journal, 2, 52, p. 101. The question of committing amendments of the Senate to a House bill, which amendments have not been previously considered by a committee of the House, is not debatable.—Jour. nal, 2, 52, p. 101. A motion to commit a proposition to a special committee after the previous question has been ordered on agreeing thereto, is in order according to the practice of the House, even before the House has adopted rules.—Journal, 1, 53, p. 9. (See Refer; Recommit.) COMMITTEES. APPOINTMENT AND JURISDICTION OF. By Rule X it is made the duty of the Speaker to appoint at the commencement of Congress certain named committees, the number of members of each being fixed by the rule. Rule XI declares the jurisdiction of the several committees, and confers special privileges on certain specified committees. Rule XII provides for the appointment of Delegates from the Territories on certain committees. The following is a list of the standing committees of the House, showing respectively the number of members, date of first creation as a standing committee, and the jurisdiction of each: Committees Mem Subjects of jurisdiction. 15 17 17 On Elections ....... Election of members. Revenue and such measures as purport January 7, 1802. to raise revenue and the bonded debt of the United States. Appropriations ........ Appropriations of the revenue for the March 2, 1865. support of the Government as herein provided, viz, for legislative, executive, and judicial expenses; for sundry civil expenses; for fortifications and coast defenses; for the District of Columbia; for pensions; and for all deficiencies. Judiciary ............... Judicial proceedings, civil and criminal June 3, 1813. law. March 2, 1865. January 21, 1864. light - houses, other than appropriaDecember 16, 1891 tions for Life-Saving Service and light(succeeded Com houses. December 14,1795). December 19, 1883. Merchant Marine and Merchant marine and fisheries Fisheries. December 21, 1887. Agriculture Agriculture and forestry, including apMay 3, 1820. propriations for the Agricultural De partment. Foreign Affairs..... 15 Relations of the United States with forMarch 13, 1822. eign nations, including appropriations therefor. Military Affairs .......... | *15 The military establishment and the pub. March 13, 1822. lic defense, including the appropriations for its support and for that of the Military Academy, * And one Delegate. ........ Committees. Memberg. Subjects of jurisdiction. War Claims ......... December 2, 1873. Private Land Claims.... April 29, 1816. District of Columbia .... January 27, 1808. Revision of the Laws.... July 25, 1868. (Suc cessor to Committee on Revisal and Unfinished busi ness.) Reform in the Civil Ser 1 vice. August 18, 1893. Vice-Pres i de nt and August 18, 1893. Alcoholic Liquor Traffic. Angust 18, 1893. Irrigation of Arid Lands. August 18, 1893. Immigration and Natu- ' ralization. August 18, 1893. Ventilation and Acoustics. August 18, 1893. Expenditures in the State Department. March 30, 1816. Expenditures in the Treasury Department. March 30, 1816. Expenditures in the War Department. March 30, 1816. Expenditures in the Navy Department. March 30, 1816. Expenditures in the PostOffice Department. March 30, 1816. Expenditures in the Interior Department. March 16, 1860. 7 | The examination of the accounts and ex penditures and the manner of keeping the same; the economy, justness, and correctness of such expenditures; their conformity with appropriation laws; the proper application of public moneys; the security of the Government against unjust and extravagant demands; retrenchment; the enforcement of the payment of moneys due to the United States; the economy and *And one Delegate. The first-named member of each committee shall be the chair. man; and in his absence, or being excused by the House, the next named member, and so on, as often as the case shall happen, unless the committee, by a majority of its number, elect a chairman.-Rule X, clause 3. The chairman shall appoint the clerk of his committee, subject to its approval, who shall be paid at the public expense, the House having first provided therefor.-Rule X, clause 4. |