For other versions of this document, see http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-96-938 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Order Code 96-938 GOV CRS Report for Congress Received through the CRS Web Special Rules in the House of Representatives Updated February 27, 2003 Stanley Bach, James V. Saturno, and Christopher M. Davis Senior Specialist in the Legislative Process Government and Finance Division Congressional Research Service ~ The Library of Congress Special Rules in the House of Representatives Summary The House Rules Committee enables the House to debate and vote on major legislation that is not privileged for floor consideration and that cannot pass by unanimous consent or under suspension of the rules. The Committee reports resolutions, known as rules or special rules, to make individual bills in order for floor action and to affect the procedures for debating, amending, and voting on the bills, usually in Committee of the Whole. Open rules do not restrict the germane floor amendments that Members can propose. Closed rules generally prohibit all floor amendments, except perhaps for those recommended by the standing committee with jurisdiction over the bill. Restrictive rules, sometimes called modified open or modified closed rules, limit opportunities for offering floor amendments, usually by identifying the specific amendments that are to be in order. The Rules Committee also may report rules with "queen-of-the-hill" or "self-executing" provisions that set aside some of the regular procedures and prohibitions of the legislative process. In addition, special rules can waive points of order against bills and amendments. Conference reports usually receive rules only or primarily to waive points of order. The Rules Committee can devise a resolution to address, create, or avoid almost any parliamentary situation. However, each of its resolutions must be debated and adopted by majority vote on the House floor. Thus, the House first considers the proposed rule on a bill before beginning consideration of that bill under the terms and conditions of the rule. This report was originally written by Stanley Bach, a former Senior Specialist in the Legislative Process at CRS. This contents of this report, and the examples cited herein, reflect the practices of the House with regard to special rules at the time it was written. It will be updated to reflect any changes in House practice. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ For other versions of this document, see http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-96-938