Suspension of Rules in the House: Measure Sponsorship by Party

Suspension of Rules in the House: Measure Sponsorship by Party

Order Code 97-901 GOV
Updated January 6, 2005
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Suspension of Rules in the House:
Measure Sponsorship by Party
-name redacted-
Analyst in American National Government
Government and Finance Division
Summary
From the 100th through the 105th Congresses (1987-1998), the House of
Representatives acted on measures through a motion to suspend the rules an average of
549 times per Congress. Measures so acted on were sponsored by Members of the
minority party, on average, 17.3% of the time (15.9% if sponsors of House measures
only are counted). Figures for the 106th through the 108th Congresses, are significantly
above these averages.
Measures Sponsored by Members of Each Party
Acted on by Suspension of the Rules in the House
During the past decade, the House of Representatives has made frequent use of its
procedure for acting expeditiously on measures through a motion to suspend the rules.
The procedure is regarded as well adapted for this purpose, because it limits debate to 40
minutes, permits no floor amendments, and requires two-thirds of Members present and
voting (a quorum being present) to pass the measure.1
The procedure is frequently used for measures not involving great complexity or
controversy. It is most commonly used for initial House action on measures, in the form
of a motion to suspend the rules and pass a bill, or to suspend the rules and adopt a joint,
concurrent, or House resolution. Suspension of the rules is sometimes also used for
action to resolve differences with the Senate, in the form of a motion to suspend the rules
and concur with Senate amendments (either with or without further amendment) or,
occasionally, to suspend the rules and adopt a conference report. This report examines
all action by suspension of the rules, whether for initial passage or final action. It also
includes all motions to suspend the rules, whether or not the motions were adopted.
1 For a fuller explanation of this procedure and its use, see CRS Report 98-796, Suspension of the
Rules in the House of Representatives, by (name redacted).
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

CRS-2
The two tables that follow present data on the number of times measures were acted
on by suspension of the rules in the House of Representatives during the 100th through the
108th Congress. Table 1 provides the number and percent of such measures originally
sponsored by members of each party. It includes action on both House and Senate
measures, with Senate measures counted under the party of their Senate sponsor. Table
2 offers similar information for only those measures introduced by House Members. The
data for the 100th through the 105th Congresses were obtained through the legislative
status data bases maintained by LEGI-SLATE.2 Data for the 106th through the 108th
Congresses were compiled using the Legislative Information System (LIS).
Table 1. Motions to Suspend the Rules in the House,
by Party of Sponsor, 1987-2003
Measure Sponsored by a
Congress
Democrat
Republican
Total
and (Years)
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
100 (1987-1988)
512
83.4
102
16.6
614
101 (1989-1990)
468
80.3
115
19.7
583
102 (1991-1992)
513
83.4
102
16.6
615
103 (1993-1994)
412
88.2
55
11.8
467
104 (1995-1996)
69
17.2
332
82.8
401
105 (1997-1998)
126
20.4
491
79.6
617
106 (1999-2000)
207
23.2
686
76.8
893
107 (2001-2002)
154
22.5
531
77.5
685
108 (2003-2004)
273
29.5
651
70.5
924
Source: LEGI-SLATE data base 100th -105th; Legislative Information System (LIS) 106th-108th.
a. Independents are included with the party from which they receive their Committee assignments.
2 The LEGI-SLATE database ceased to be maintained in Sept. 1999.

CRS-3
Table 2. Motions to Suspend the Rules in the House,
by Party of Sponsor, 1987-2003 (House Measures Only)
Measure Sponsored by a
Congress
Democrat
Republican
Total
and (Years)
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
100 (1987-1988)
430
84.0
82
16.0
512
101 (1989-1990)
420
83.5
83
16.5
503
102 (1991-1992)
456
85.4
78
14.6
534
103 (1993-1994)
369
90.4
39
9.6
408
104 (1995-1996)
64
17.3
306
82.7
370
105 (1997-1998)
106
20.6
409
79.4
515
106 (1999-2000)
177
23.8
566
76.2
743
107 (2001-2002)
133
21
501
79
634
108 (2003-2004 )
242
30.0
564
70.0
806
Source: LEGI-SLATE data base 100th -105th; Legislative Information System (LIS) 106th -108th .
a. Independents are included with the party from which they receive their Committee assignments.
[Note: Previous versions of this report were prepared by Faye M. Bullock, Technical
Information Specialist and (name redacted), Specialist in the Legislative Process,
Government and Finance Division; and Jennifer Manning, Senior Research Librarian,
Information Research Division.]

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