When an appeal is taken, any subsequent question of order which may arise before the decision of such appeal shall be decided by the Presiding Officer without debate; and every appeal therefrom shall be decided at once, and without debate; and any appeal may be laid on the table without prejudice to the pending proposition, and thereupon shall be held as affirming the decision of the Presiding Officer. [Jefferson's Manual, Sec. XXXIII. 2. The Presiding Officer may submit any question of order [20.2] for the decision of the Senate. [Jefferson's Manual, Sec. XXXIII. 1. All motions shall be reduced to writing, if desired by [21.1] the Presiding Officer or by any Senator, and shall be read before the same shall be debated. [Jefferson's Manual, Sec. XX. 2. Any motion or resolution may be withdrawn or modi- [21.2] fied by the mover at any time before a decision, amendment, or ordering of the yeas and nays, except a motion to reconsider, which shall not be withdrawn without leave. [Jefferson's Manual, Sec. XX. [22] RULE XXII PRECEDENCE OF MOTIONS 1. When a question is pending, no motion shall be received [22.1] but To adjourn. To adjourn to a day certain, or that when the Senate adjourn it shall be to a day certain. To take a recess. To proceed to the consideration of executive business. [22.2] To lay on the table. To postpone indefinitely. To postpone to a day certain. To amend. Which several motions shall have precedence as they stand arranged; and the motions relating to adjournment, to take a recess, to proceed to the consideration of executive business, to lay on the table, shall be decided without debate. 2 [Jefferson's Manual, Sec. XXXIII. 2.1 Notwithstanding the provisions of rule III or rule VI or any other rule of the Senate, at any time a motion signed by sixteen Senators, to bring to a close the debate upon any measure, motion, or other matter pending before the Senate, or the unfinished business, is presented to the Senate, the Presiding Officer shall at once state the motion to the Senate, and one hour after the Senate meets on the following calendar day but one, he shall lay the motion before the Senate and direct that the Secretary call the roll, and, upon the ascertainment that a quorum is present, the Presiding Officer shall, without debate, submit to the Senate by a yea-and-nay vote the question: "Is it the sense of the Senate that the debate shall be brought to a close?" And if that question shall be decided in the affirmative by two-thirds of the Senators present and voting, then said measure, motion, or other matter pending before the Senate, or the unfinished business, shall be the unfinished business to the exclusion of all other business until disposed of. 1 As amended, S. Jour. 173, 81-1, Mar. 17, 1949. Thereafter no Senator shall be entitled to speak in all more than one hour on the measure, motion, or other matter pending before the Senate, or the unfinished business, the amendments thereto, and motions affecting the same, and it shall be the duty of the Presiding Officer to keep the time of each Senator who speaks. Except by unanimous consent, no amendment shall be in order after the vote to bring the debate to a close, unless the same has been presented and read prior to that time. No dilatory motion, or dilatory amendment, or amendment not germane shall be in order. Points of order, including questions of relevancy, and appeals from the decision of the Presiding Officer, shall be decided without debate. 3. The provisions of the last paragraph of rule VIII [22.3] (prohibiting debate on motions made before 2 o'clock)1 shall not apply to any motion to proceed to the consideration of any motion, resolution, or proposal to change any of the Standing Rules of the Senate. RULE XXIII PREAMBLES When a bill or resolution is accompanied by a preamble, the question shall first be put on the bill or resolution and then on the preamble, which may be withdrawn by a mover before an amendment of the same, or ordering of the yeas and nays; or it may be laid on the table without prejudice to the bill or resolution, and shall be a final disposition of such preamble. 1 As amended, S. Jour. 37, 86-1, Jan. 12, 1959. [Jefferson's Manual, Sec. XXVI. [23] [24] RULE XXIV APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEES [24.1] 1. In the appointment of the standing committees, the Senate, unless otherwise ordered, shall proceed by ballot to appoint severally the chairman of each committee, and then, by one ballot, the other members necessary to complete the same. A majority of the whole number of votes given shall be necessary to the choice of a chairman of a standing committee, but a plurality of votes shall elect the other members thereof. All other committees shall be appointed by ballot, unless otherwise ordered, and a plurality of votes shall appoint. [Jefferson's Manual, Sec. XI. [24.2] 2. When a chairman of a committee shall resign or cease to serve on a committee, and the Presiding Officer be authorized by the Senate to fill the vacancy in such committee, unless specially otherwise ordered, it shall be only to fill up the number on the committee. [25] [25.1] [25.1a] RULE XXV 1 STANDING COMMITTEES 1. The following standing committees shall be appointed at the commencement of each Congress, with leave to report by bill or otherwise: 2 3 (a) (1) Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, to consist of sixteen Senators, to which committee shall be referred all proposed legislation, messages, petitions, memo 1 Rule XXV amended in entirety, S. Jour. 157-160, 88-1, Feb. 25, 1963. (For rule XXV as effective Jan. 2, 1947, see S. Jour. 229, 79-2, June 10, 1946.) As amended, S. Jour. 508, 85-2, July 24, 1958. 3 Number changed from fifteen to sixteen, S. Jour. 44, 89-1, Jan. 8, 1965. rials, and other matters relating primarily to the following subjects: (A) Aeronautical and space activities, as that term is defined in the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, except those which are peculiar to or primarily associated with the development of weapons systems or military operations. (B) Matters relating generally to the scientific aspects of such aeronautical and space activities, except those which are peculiar to or primarily associated with the development of weapons systems or military operations. (C) National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (2) Such committee also shall have jurisdiction to survey and review, and to prepare studies and reports upon, aeronautical and space activities of all agencies of the United States, including such activities which are peculiar to or primarily associated with the development of weapons systems or military operations. (b) Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, to consist of [25.1b] fifteen1 Senators, to which committee shall be referred all proposed legislation, messages, petitions, memorials, and other matters relating to the following subjects: 1. Agriculture generally. 2. Inspection of livestock and meat products. 3. Animal industry and diseases of animals. 4. Adulteration of seeds, insect pests, and protection of birds and animals in forest reserves. 5. Agricultural colleges and experiment stations. 1 Number changed from thirteen to fifteen, S. Jour. 56-57, 83-1, Jan. 9, 1953; number changed from fifteen to seventeen, S. Jour. 42, 86-1, Jan. 14, 1959; number changed from seventeen to fifteen, S. Jour. 44, 89-1, Jan. 8, 1965. |