SECTION XXVIII.
BILL, RECOMMITMENT.
After a bill has been committed and reported, it ought not, in an ordinary course, to be recommitted. But in cases of importance, and for special reasons, it is sometimes recommitted, and usually to the same committee. Hakew. 151. If a report be committed before agreed to in the House, what has passed in the committee is of no validity; the whole question is again before the committee, and a new resolution must be again moved, as if nothing had passed.—3 Hats. 131, note.
In Senate, January, 1800, the salvage bill was recommitted three times after the commitment.
A particular clause of a bill may be committed without the whole bill,—3 Hats. 131; or so much of a paper to one, and so much to another committee.
SECTION XXIX.
BILL, REPORT TAKEN UP.
When the report of a paper, originating with a committee, is taken up by the House, they proceed exactly as in committee. Here, as in committee, when the paragraphs have, on distinct questions, been agreed to seriatim,—5 Grey, 365; 6 Grey, 368; 8 Grey, 47, 104, 360; 1 Torbuck's deb. 124; 3 Hats. 348,—no question need be put on the whole report.—5 Grey, 381.
On taking up a bill reported with amendments, the amendments only are read by the clerk. The Speaker then reads the first, and puts it to the question, and so on till the whole are adopted or rejected, before any other amendment be admitted, except it be an amendment to an amendment.—Elsynge's Mem. 23. When through the amendments of the committee, the Speaker pauses, and gives time for amendments to be proposed in the House to the body of the bill; as he does also if it has been reported without amendments; putting no question but on amendments proposed; and when through the whole, he puts the question, Whether the bill shall be read the third time?
SECTION XXX.
QUASI-COMMITTEE.
If, on the motion and question, the bill be not committed, or if no proposition for commitment be made, then the proceedings in the Senate of United States and in Parliament are totally different. The former shall be first stated.
The 20th rule of the Senate says, "All bills, on a second reading, shall first be considered by the Senate in the same manner as if the Senate were in a committee of the whole, before they shall be taken up and proceeded on by the Senate agreeably to the standing rules, unless otherwise ordered;" that is to say, unless ordered to be referred to a special committee.