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Order Code 98-564 GOV
Updated October 22, 2004
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Committee of the Whole:
Stages of Action on Measures
Richard S. Beth
Specialist in the Legislative Process
Government and Finance Division
The House gives initial floor consideration to most major legislation in Committee
of the Whole, a parliamentary device that is technically a committee of the House to
which all Members belong. This fact sheet describes seven chief stages that occur in
considering a measure under this procedure: resolving into committee, general debate,
amendment under the five-minute rule, reporting to the House, House vote on
amendments, motion to recommit, and final passage. For more information on legislative
process, see [http://www.crs.gov/products/guides/guidehome.shtml].
House Rule XVIII prescribes procedures in Committee of the Whole, but these may
be modified by a rule for considering a specific measure, reported by the Committee on
Rules. Clause 3 of the Rule requires that revenue, appropriation, and authorization
measures be considered initially in Committee of the Whole. Other measures may be
considered there pursuant to a rule.
Resolving into Committee of the Whole. The House usually takes up a
measure in Committee of the Whole when the Speaker, acting pursuant to a rule for
consideration, declares the House resolved into Committee of the Whole for the purpose
(Rule XVIII, clause 2(b)). For certain privileged measures, such as general appropriation
bills, the majority floor manager may instead move that the House resolve into Committee
of the Whole to consider the measure (clause 2(a)). In either case, the Speaker then leaves
the chair and appoints a chair of the Committee of the Whole (clause l(a)), usually a
senior Member of the majority party not serving on a committee that handled the measure.
General Debate. A rule for considering a measure normally specifies a time limit
for general debate, often one hour, equally divided and controlled by majority and
minority floor managers. Otherwise, the majority manager obtains unanimous consent
for similar arrangements before the House resolves into committee. If a measure is
reported from several committees, a pair of managers from each usually controls a
separate period for general debate. Each manager yields specified amounts of time to
Members, usually in his or her own party, whom the chair then recognizes for debate.
General debate ends when this time is consumed or the managers yield it back.
Amendment Under the Five-Minute Rule. After general debate, the measure
normally is considered for amendment by section (by paragraph, for appropriation bills).
Congressional Research Service **o The Library of Congress](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.crs/crsuntaaiuu0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)