HANDOUT -- METHODS OF OBTAINING HOUSE FLOOR CONSIDERATION

METHODS OF OBTAINING HOUSE FLOOR CONSIDERATION

A. Unanimous Consent (UC) - Measures to be considered by unanimous consent are scheduled by the Majority Leader.

Used for non-controversial measures which have been pre-approved by the Majority and Minority Leaders and with the full and subcommittee chairmen and ranking minority members of the committee(s) of jurisdiction. The Speaker will refuse to recognize a Member for a unanimous consent request that has not been pre-approved.
Requests should be submitted to the Majority Leader in writing one week prior to floor consideration.
Considered in the House at any appropriate time, generally at the end of the legislative day.
Any Member may object to a unanimous consent request. If an objection is heard, the request fails and floor consideration must proceed by another method.
A Member (usually a minority committee member) may "reserve the right to object" for the purpose of inquiring about the unanimous consent request. An opportunity to discuss the measure is often brought about in this manner until a Member calls for the "regular order" or the reservation is withdrawn. At that point all further discussion under the reservation ends.

B. Suspension of the Rules (Clause 1 of rule XV) (Suspensions) - Measures to be considered under suspension of the rules are scheduled by the Majority Leader.

Used for relatively non-controversial measures.
Requests from the Chairman of the committee of jurisdiction must be submitted to the Majority Leader in writing two weeks prior to floor consideration using the appropriate form which can be obtained from the Majority Leader’s office.
In order on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Suspension consideration is prohibited under Republican Conference rules if it is estimated that the measure will cost more than $100 million during the entire authorization period. This requirement may be waived by the Majority Leadership.
Requires a 2/3 vote for passage.
Non-amendable, except the manager may incorporate an amendment into the motion to suspend the rules and pass. No separate vote on the incorporated amendment may be ordered.
Considered in the House with 40 minutes of debate equally divided between the Majority bill manager and an opponent.

C. Special Rules - Measures to be considered under special rules are requested by a letter from the Chairman of the reporting committee to the Chairman of the Rules Committee.

Special rules set guidelines for floor consideration of controversial measures, measures in violation of standing House rules, or measures requiring a special debate or amendment structure.
The House must adopt, by simple majority, a rule which specifies how a covered bill will be considered before can consider the underlying bill. Once adopted, the rule may govern the amount of general debate time, amendments permitted to the underlying bill, or waive otherwise permissible points of order.
Rules are non-amendable unless: the Majority manager offers an amendment; the Majority manager yields for the purpose of amendment (which never happens); or the previous question is defeated.

D. Corrections Calendar (Clause 6 of rule XV) - After a measure has been favorably reported and placed on the Union or House Calendar the Speaker, in consultation with the Minority Leader and the bipartisan Corrections advisory panel, may file notice with the Clerk that the measure may also be placed on the Corrections Calendar. Items on the Corrections Calendar are scheduled by the Speaker’s Floor Office.

Used to consider measures recommended by the Corrections advisory panel to correct or repeal existing laws, rules and federal regulations that are considered obsolete, duplicative, or burdensome.
On the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, the Speaker may at any time direct the Clerk to call up corrections measures that have been pending on the Corrections Calendar for 3 legislative days.
Considered in the House with one hour of debate equally divided between the chairman and ranking minority member of the committee of jurisdiction; amendable only by committee approved amendments offered by the Chairman or his designee; allows for one motion to recommit, with or without instructions.
3/5 vote required for passage.

E. Private Calendar (Clause 5 of rule XV) - The Speaker may direct the Clerk to call measures that are pending on the Private Calendar.

Used for measures involving relief for a specific individual or entity.
In order on the first and third Tuesdays of every month.
If objected to by 2 or more Members, the measure is recommitted to its original committee of jurisdiction. Prior to scheduling for floor consideration, private bills are cleared by the bipartisan panel of leadership appointed objectors.
Considered in the House as in the Committee of the Whole with no general debate and under the five-minute rule for amendment purposes.

F. Calendar of Motions to Discharge Committees (Clause 2 of rule XV) - A Member may file a motion with the Clerk to discharge a committee from consideration of any measure which has been pending before it for more than 30 legislative days. A Member may also file a motion to discharge the Rules Committee from consideration of a resolution providing for a special order of business if: (1) the resolution has been pending before the Rules Committee for more than seven legislative days; and (2) the underlying bill has been pending before its committee of jurisdiction for more than 30 legislative days. These times may run concurrently.

Used to force floor action on measures held up in committee for more than 30 legislative days or on special rule resolutions which have been pending before the Rules Committee for more than seven legislative days.
Discharge petitions can cover only a single bill, and special rule resolutions may not permit non-germane amendments.
In order on the second and fourth Mondays of each month.
To be eligible for floor action, a measure must have been on the Discharge Calendar for at least seven legislative days.
218 Members’ signatures are required to place a measure on the Discharge Calendar; signatures are made public; Members may withdraw their signatures in writing before the measure has been entered on the Journal.
Discharge motions are considered in the House with 20 minutes of debate equally divided between one proponent and one opponent; the only available intervening motion is one motion to adjourn.

** In addition to the above methods of gaining floor consideration, certain committees and measures are given privileged access to the floor under the standing rules of the House. Calendar Wednesday rules (Rule XV, clause 7) also remain in effect.