RULE XX. QUESTIONS OF ORDER. 1. A question of order may be raised at any stage of the proceedings, except when the Senate is dividing, and, unless submitted to the Senate, shall be decided by the Presiding Officer without debate, subject to an appeal to the Senate. 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 for the decision of the Senate. [Jefferson's Manual, Sec. XXXIII. RULE XXI. MOTIONS. I. All motions shall be reduced to writing, if desired by 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 Any motion or resolution may be withdrawn or modified by the mover at any time before a decision, amendment, or ordering of the yeas and nays, except a motion to reconsider, which shall not be withdrawn without leave.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. RULE XXII. PRECEDENCE OF MOTIONS. When a question is pending, no motion shall be received 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. To lay on the table. To postpone indefinitely. To postpone to a day certain. To commit. 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. RULE XXIII. PREAMBLES. [Jefferson's Manual, Sec. XXXIII. 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by a preamble, the question shall first be put on the bill or resolution and then on the preamble, which may be withdrawn by a mover before an amendment of the same, or ordering of the yeas and nays; or it may be laid on the table without prejudice to the bill or resolution, and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. [Jefferson's Manual, Sec. XXVI. RULE XXIV. APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEES. 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 com mittees shall be appointed by ballot, unless otherwise ordered, and a plurality of votes shall appoint. [Jefferson's Manual, Sec. XI. 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. RULE XXV. STANDING COMMITTEES. 1. The following standing committees shall be appointed at the commencement of each Congress, with leave to report by bill or otherwise: A Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, to consist of eleven Senators. A Committee on Appropriations, to consist of thirteen Senators. A Committee to Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate, to consist of five Senators, to which shall be referred all resolutions directing the payment of money out of the contingent fund of the Senate or creating a charge upon the same. A Committee on Canadian Relations, to consist of nine Senators. A Committee on the Census, to consist of eleven Senators. A Committee on Civil Service and Retrenchment, to consist of nine Senators. A Committee on Claims, to consist of fourteen Senators. A Committee on Coast and Insular Survey, to consist of nine Senators. A Committee on Coast Defenses, to consist or eleven Senators. A Committee on Commerce, to consist of seventeen Senators. A Committee on Corporations Organized in the District of Columbia, to consist of five Senators. A Committee on Cuban Relations, to consist of eleven Senators. A Committee on the District of Columbia, to consist of thirteen Senators. A Committee on Education and Labor, to consist of nine Senators. A Committee on Engrossed Bills, to consist of three Senators, which shall examine all bills, amendments, and joint resolutions before they go out of the possession of the Senate. A Committee on Enrolled Bills, to consist of three Senators, which shall have power to act jointly with the same committee of the House of Representatives, and which, or some one of which, shall examine all bills or joint resolutions which shall have passed both Houses, to see that the same are correctly enrolled, and, when signed by the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate, shall forthwith present the same, when they shall have originated in the Senate, to the President of the United States in person, and report the fact and date of such presentation to the Senate. A Committee to Examine the Several Branches of the Civil Service, to consist of seven Senators. A Committee on Finance, to consist of thirteen Senators. A Committee on Fisheries, to consist of nine Senators, to which shall be referred all matters relating to fish and fisheries. A Committee on Foreign Relations, to consist of thirteen Senators. A Committee on Forest Reservations and the Protection of Game, to consist of eleven Senators. A Committee on the Geological Survey, to consist of seven Senators. A Committee on Immigration, to consist of eleven Senators. A Committee on Indian Affairs, to consist of fifteen Senators. A Committee on Indian Depredations, to consist of eleven Senators. A Committee on Interoceanic Canals, to consist of eleven Senators. A Committee on Interstate Commerce, to consist of thirteen Senators. A Committee on Irrigation, to consist of thirteen Senators. A Committee on the Judiciary, to consist of thirteen Senators. ⚫ A Committee on the Library, to consist of five Senators, which shall have power to act jointly with the same committee of the House of Representatives. A Committee on Manufactures, to consist of seven Senators. A Committee on Military Affairs, to consist of eleven Senators. A Committee on Mines and Mining, to consist of nine Senators. A Committee on the Mississippi River and its Tributaries, to consist of seven Senators. A Committee on Naval Affairs, to consist of eleven Senators. A Committee on Organization, Conduct, and Expenditures of the Executive Departments, to consist of nine Senators. A Committee on Pacific Islands and Porto Rico, to consist of eleven Senators. A Committee on Pacific Railroads, to consist of nine Senators. |