Parliamentary Outreach Program

ORDER OF BUSINESS IN THE HOUSE

Under Rule XXIV, the daily order of business in the House of Representatives is as follows:

  • Prayer by the Chaplain
  • Reading and Approval of the Journal
  • The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
  • Correction of Reference of Public Bills
  • Disposal of Business on the Speaker’s Table
  • Unfinished Business
  • The Morning Hour for the Consideration of Bills Called up by Committees
  • Motions to go into Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union
  • Orders of the Day

However, the rules of the House permit the interruption of this order by privileged matters. When the order of business is interrupted by such a privileged matter, the order of business returns and goes on from the place of interruption provided the House has not adjourned. Privileged matters which may interrupt the order of business are as follows:

  • Unanimous consent requests
  • General appropriations bill
  • Conference reports
  • Motions to discharge or instruct conferees
  • Special rules reported by the Rules Committee
  • Amendments in disagreement between the Houses
  • Questions of privilege
  • Privileged bills reported under the right to report at any time
  • Call of committees on Wednesdays for bills on House and Union Calendars
  • Private Calendar business on Tuesdays
  • Motions to discharge committees
  • Consideration of District of Columbia business
  • Corrections Calendar bills
  • Motions to suspend the rules and pass bills out of the regular order
  • Bills rolled over from a previous day with the previous question ordered
  • Presidential vetoes
  • Motions to send a bill to conference