Nonlegislative Debate in the House: One-Minute, Morning-Hour, and Special-Order Speeches

December 2, 2020 R46626

Non-Legislative Debate in the House: One-
December 2, 2020
Minute, Morning-Hour, and Special-Order
Jane A. Hudiburg
Speeches
Analyst on Congress and
the Legislative Process
Three types of speeches have evolved in the House of Representatives to allow Members to

address a variety of topics when legislation is not pending before the body: one-minute, morning-
hour, and special-order speeches. These periods of non-legislative debate are not provided for in

House rules but are arranged under the terms of unanimous consent requests agreed to by the
House.
Members delivering remarks are expected to adhere to House rules, the chamber’s precedents, and the Speaker’s announced
policies. House Rules I and XVII are especially pertinent to non-legislative debate, as they provide the Speaker with the
powers to preserve order in the chamber and to recognize Members to speak.
During periods of non-legislative debate, Members may speak on matters related to their districts or on broader national and
international issues and events. These speeches have included announcing the introduction of a bill, recognizing individuals
or institutions, promoting or opposing a policy action, or outlining the day’s legislative schedule. Recognition for non-
legislative debate alters between the parties, and each party is allotted the same portion of time to deliver remarks.
One-minute speeches, which generally occur at the start of a legislative day, are allowed at the discretion of the Speaker and
do not need to be reserved in advance. On days in which these speeches are permitted, Members may claim seats in the front
row of their parties’ sides of the chamber and are then recognized, in turn, to address the House for one minute.
Morning-hour and special-order speeches are reserved through the Members’ respective party leaders. Members deliver five-
minute morning-hour speeches on days in which the House convenes early for the purposes of conducting non-legislative
debate. Special-order speeches range in duration from five minutes to 60 minutes and are usually given during a four-hour
period following the conclusion of legislative business.
This report provides the rules, precedents, and policies governing non-legislative debate in the House and discusses the
evolution and current practice of one-minute, morning-hour, and special-order speeches. The report will be updated to reflect
any changes in House procedure affecting non-legislative debate.

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Non-Legislative Debate in the House

Introduction
House rules and precedents limit Members’ opportunities to address the House on topics of their
choosing. Among these restrictions, the most pertinent is House Rule XVII. This rule provides the
Speaker with the discretionary power to recognize Members and requires Members, once
recognized, to confine their remarks to the measure, amendment, or motion that is currently
before the House. The same rule also enables the Speaker or Members to “cal to order” any
Member who “transgresses the Rules of the House,” such as those governing decorum or words
spoken in debate. Thus, a Member, even after recognition, is restricted in speech and behavior
when speaking on the floor.
Notwithstanding Rule XVII, Members often address the House on a wide variety of subjects
when no legislation is currently before the body. Such non-legislative debate is not provided for
in House rules but is arranged under the terms of unanimous consent requests agreed to by the
House.
Three forms of non-legislative debate have evolved in the House to enable Members to speak on
issues when no business is pending: one-minute, morning-hour, and special-order speeches.
During one-minute speeches, any Member may come to the wel and address the House for one
minute provided that he or she is recognized to do so. Morning-hour speeches, up to five minutes
in duration, and special-order speeches, ranging from five minutes to 60 minutes, are reserved
through the majority and minority party leadership.
Members engaging in such non-legislative debate are to adhere to House rules, chamber
precedents, and the Speaker’s announced policies, which govern aspects of the speeches
including recognition, timing and duration, decorum, and chamber logistics. The Speaker
announces policies on the opening day of Congress and may make additional announcements
within a Congress. Unanimous consent agreements established at the start of a new Congress or
session, as wel as subsequent consent requests agreed to by the House, further define the forms
of non-legislative debate.
This report addresses the rules, precedents, and policies governing non-legislative debate in the
House and discusses the evolution and current practice of one-minute, morning-hour, and special-
order speeches. The report wil be updated to reflect any changes in House procedure affecting
non-legislative debate.
Uses of Non-Legislative Speeches
When legislation is pending before the House, Members are expected to confine their remarks to
subjects being addressed in the bil . In contrast, non-legislative debate periods al ow for greater
flexibility of subjects under discussion. For instance, Members may deliver remarks of concern to
their districts, such as in speeches that commend an individual or an institution. They may also
address broader national and international issues and events regardless of whether legislation has
been introduced on these topics.
During periods of non-legislative debate, Members may announce the introduction of a bil ,
solicit cosponsors, or introduce guest chaplains from their districts. Remarks may also address the
day’s legislative schedule. These scheduling statements, often delivered as a col oquy between
the majority and minority leaders, may support or oppose soon-to-be pending legislation or
outline the expected schedule for the daily session.
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One-minute, morning-hour, and special-order speeches are available to al Members but can be
particularly beneficial to junior Members or those of the minority party, who might otherwise
have few opportunities to speak before the House. Members may post their remarks on their
websites or highlight them in other constituent communications.1
House Rules Related to Non-Legislative Debate
The three forms of non-legislative debate are not provided for in House rules. Rather, one-minute,
morning-hour, and special-order speeches have developed as a unanimous consent practice in
compliance with House rules, precedents, and the Speaker’s announced policies, which are
announced on the opening day of Congress and may be altered or refined within a Congress.
Policies related to non-legislative debate are often the same, or similar, as the policies announced
in previous Congresses.
Members engaging in non-legislative debate must abide by the standing House rules. The House
rules most pertinent to non-legislative debate are Rules I and XVII and also Rule V. Rules I and
XVII address debate and decorum in the chamber. Clause 2 of Rule XVII provides the Speaker’s
discretionary power of recognition.2 Pursuant to clause 2(a) of Rule V, the Speaker maintains
control over the broadcasting of House floor proceedings.
Rules I and XVII: Recognition and Decorum
Rule I, clause 2, affords the Speaker with the power to preserve order in the chamber. Clause 5 of
the same rule enables the Speaker to rule, subject to an appeal of the House, on questions of order
raised by the Speaker or another Member.3
Rule XVII defines the Speaker’s power of recognition and provides additional parameters on
decorum and debate. Clause 1(a) requires Members to seek and receive recognition from the
Speaker or the chair of the Committee of the Whole before making an address, offering a motion,
or making a point of order. Accordingly, the Speaker or the chair, pursuant to clause 2, determines
who wil be recognized and for what purpose.4 The same clause provides a 60-minute cap for
special-order speeches and restricts Members from speaking for more than one hour on any
question.
Clause 1(b) of Rule XVII requires Members to speak on the pending business (the legislative
measure or motion before the House) and prohibits them from maligning the character or
intentions of a fel ow Member or another official, such as the President.5 Rule XVII also

1 Broadcast coverage made available under Rule V may not be used for campaign or commercial purposes. See clause
2(c) of Rule V for limitations on the use of audio and visual broadcasting and recording of House floor proceedings.
U.S. Congress, House, Constitution, Jefferson’s Manual and the Rules of the House (hereinafter House Manual), 115th
Cong., 2nd sess. (Washington: GPO, 2019), §684.
2 Charles W. Johnson, John V. Sullivan, and T homas J. Wickham Jr., House Practice: A Guide to the Rules,
Precedents, and Procedures of the House (Washington: GPO, 2017), ch. 16, §50.
3 Pursuant to clause 5 of House Rule I, the Speaker’s rulings on questions of order are subject to the appeal of a
Member or Delegate or the Resident Commissioner. Following the appeal, the House may vote to sustain or overturn
the ruling. House Manual, §627.
4 House Practice, ch. 46, §1.
5 T he rule does not specify what would be considered unparliamentary, but statements made by the chair indicate that
general admonishments are not a sufficient offense if they do not identify individual Members. See CRS Report
R45866, Words Taken Down: Calling Mem bers to Order for Disorderly Language in the House , by Gail E. Baitinger.
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addresses comportment in the chamber and the use of exhibits. Members who engage in
disorderly or unparliamentary conduct may be subject to a cal to order by another Member,
whereby the offending words are written down and read aloud by the Clerk (hence, the procedure
is known as “words taken down”) or have their statements, on order of the House, stricken from
the Congressional Record.6
Rule V: Broadcasting Non-Legislative Debate
Clause 2(a) of Rule V provides the
Speaker with the authority to control
Floor Fight over Special-Order Broadcasting
audio and visual broadcasting of
Policy
House floor proceedings. During
In 1984, minority party Members, led by the Conservative
morning-hour and special-order
Opportunity Society, delivered several coordinated special-order
speeches, the Speaker’s announced
speeches that were critical of House leadership. In response,
policy, which was instituted in the
Speaker Tip O’Neil instructed the camera operators to pan the
103rd Congress (1993-1994) and
near-empty chamber in order to show that few Members
reestablished in every subsequent
attended the late-night speeches.
Congress, is to fix the camera on the
Shortly after the new policy took effect, Speaker O’Neil and
Representative Newt Gingrich, engaged in a heated exchange on
rostrum or the Member delivering
the House floor, during which Speaker O’Neil spoke directly to
remarks (and not have the camera pan
Representative Gingrich, cal ing one of his special-order speeches
the chamber).7 At the bottom of the
“the lowest thing that I have ever seen.” Representative Trent
screen, viewers see a “crawl” message
Lott demanded that the Speaker’s words be taken down, and the
stating that the House is conducting
Speaker pro tempore ruled in favor of the demand, stating, “The
Chair feels that that type of characterization should not be used
morning-hour debate or that
in debate.”
legislative business has concluded for
Despite continued criticism from the minority party, the
the day and the House is in a period of
Speaker’s policy to pan the chamber during special-order
special-order speeches.8
speeches remained in effect until February 11, 1994 (103rd
Congress). On that day, Speaker Tom Foley announced that
Clause 2(a) also requires complete
television cameras would not pan the chamber while Members
broadcast coverage of House
gave special-order speeches. On January 4, 1995 (104th
proceedings. However, it does not
Congress), 11 years after his floor skirmish with Speaker O’Neil ,
require that Members’ microphones
the newly elected Speaker Gingrich re-instated Foley’s no-
panning policy. Subsequently, the Speaker’s policy not to pan the
remain on if they continue to speak
chamber during non-legislative debate has been reinstated at the
when no longer under recognition,
start of each Congress.
such as when their conduct is deemed
Sources: "Televised Partisan Skirmishes Erupt in House,"
by the chair to be disorderly.9
CQ Almanac 1984 (Washington, DC: Congressional
Quarterly, 1985), pp. 206-209; Congressional Record, vol. 130
(May 15, 1984), pp. 12201-12202.

6 Clause 4, Rule XVII, House Manual, §961. See also CRS Report R45866, Words Taken Down: Calling Members to
Order for Disorderly Language in the House, by Gail E. Baitinger.
7 House Manual, §684.
8 Congressional Record (January 3, 2019), p. H199.
9 House Practice, ch. 10, §5.
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One-Minute Speeches
When permitted by the Speaker, one-minute speeches are general y given at the start of a
legislative day after the chaplain’s prayer, the approval of the House Journal, and the Pledge of
Al egiance. These speeches may also be al owed, at the Speaker’s discretion, after the conclusion
of legislative business and before the beginning of the period for special-order speeches. During
the one-minute speech period, Members seek unanimous consent to address the House for one
minute on topics of their choosing. One-minute speeches do not need to be reserved in advance
through party leadership.
Governing Authorities
One-minute speeches are permitted as a unanimous consent practice of the House. They must be
in compliance with House rules, precedents, and the Speaker’s announced policies that are
established in each Congress.
The practice of limiting certain non-legislative speeches to one minute began in 1937 (75th
Congress). Majority Leader Sam Rayburn announced that he would hereafter object to “requests
to address the House for more than 1 minute before the legislative business has been
concluded.”10 In 1945 (79th Congress), Rayburn, as Speaker, reiterated this policy, noting that
since his statement in 1937, “Members have not asked to proceed for more than a minute before
the legislative program.”11
One-minute speeches are currently governed by the Speaker’s policy first announced in 1984
(98th Congress) and re-established, as modified, in each subsequent Congress.12 Precedents
further prescribe the practice of one-minute speeches. These precedents may supersede or clarify
the Speaker’s announced policy.13
Recognition
Pursuant to clause 2 of House Rule XVII, the Speaker has the discretion to decide if Members
wil be recognized for one-minute speeches and how many speeches wil be al owed during any
legislative day. Depending on the legislative schedule, the Speaker may provide for a specific
number of speeches, al ow an unlimited number during a designated period of time, or not al ow
any speeches.14 General y, the chair states at the start of a legislative day how many one-minute
speeches wil be al owed.15
The chair reserves “the right to limit 1-minute speeches to a certain time or to a special place in
the program on any given day, with notice to the leadership.”16 Since the 115th Congress (2017-
2018), the Speaker’s announced policy has included an additional provision formalizing an earlier

10 Congressional Record, vol. 81 (August 2, 1937), p. 8004.
11 Congressional Record, vol. 91 (March 6, 1945), pp. 1788-1789.
12 See Speaker’s announced policy, Congressional Record, vol. 130 (August 8, 1984), p. 22963.
13 House Manual, §950.
14 House Practice, ch. 16, §50.
15 T he majority leader’s daily announcement also states when and how many one-minute speeches will be allowed
during a specified legislative day. See https://www.majorityleader.gov/floor-resources/the-daily-leader.
16 Congressional Record, daily edition (January 3, 2019), p. H199.
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tradition that states that the chair wil not recognize “Members for a one-minute speech more than
one time per legislative day.”17
The current practice for recognizing Members is based on the Speaker’s announced policy of
1984 (98th Congress) as modified and re-established in the 116th Congress.18 The chair alters
recognition between the majority and minority in the order in which Members seek recognition in
the wel , recognizing Members from the chair’s right to the chair’s left. (From the chair’s vantage
point, Democratic Party members are seated on the right, and Republican Party members are
seated on the left.)
Members intending to make one-minute speeches may claim seats in the front row of their
parties’ sides of the chamber. In doing so, they are aware of the order in which they wil likely
speak. (Republican Members are general y recognized by their proximity to the center aisle,
while Democratic Members are general y recognized by their proximity to the Speaker’s Lobby.)
Members do not have to reserve their positions in advance with party leadership. However, on
some days, party leaders may organize their Members into what are sometimes cal ed “theme
teams” or “message groups” to deliver the party’s message to the American people. Since the
101st Congress (1989-1990), the chair has followed a “practice of recognizing Members
suggested by their party leadership before others in the wel .”19
When a Member’s turn to speak arrives, the Member approaches the Speaker’s rostrum to seek
recognition for one minute. Once recognized, the Member speaks in the wel from a lectern on the
appropriate side of the chamber.
Duration
As the name implies, one-minute speeches are limited to 60 seconds in duration. The chair’s
calculation of time consumed is “not subject to chal enge.”20 By precedent, the chair endeavors
“to al ocate time in a nonpartisan manner” and wil not “entertain a request to extend recognition
beyond one minute.”
Traditional y, the chair does not monitor the time consumed by the Speaker, the majority leader,
and the minority leader in order to afford House leaders “the courtesy of extended and unfettered
debate.”21 Once recognized to address the House for one minute, these individuals may speak for
longer durations of time.
Morning-Hour Debate
During morning-hour debate, Members address the House for up to five minutes on topics of their
choosing. On legislative days in which these speeches are permitted, the House convenes two
hours early for non-legislative debate. Members reserve time for a morning-hour speech through

17 House Manual, §950.
18 Congressional Record, daily edition (January 3, 2019), p. H199.
19 House Manual, §950.
20 House Manual, §950.
21 House Practice, ch. 16, §45. On February 7, 2018, then-Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi delivered a one-minute
speech that lasted eight hours and six minutes, a record for the longest House floor sp eech since at least 1909,
according to the House Historian. See Sheryl Gay Stolberg, “Pelosi Held House Floor in Advocacy of ‘Dreamers’ for
More T han 8 Hours,” New York Times, February 7, 2018, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/07/us/politics/pelosi-
dreamers-budget-deal.html.
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their party leadership. After morning-hour speeches conclude, the House recesses for at least 10
minutes prior to resuming its session and proceeding with legislative business.
Governing Authorities
Morning-hour debate is enabled by a unanimous consent request agreed to at the start of a new
Congress or session rather than the Speaker’s announced policies. As with the other forms of non-
legislative debate, Members must adhere to House rules governing speech and decorum.
The morning-hour debate period was established in the 103rd Congress in response to new
limitations placed on special-order speeches. (In 1994, special-order speeches were restricted to a
four-hour period, and no Members could be recognized for such speeches after midnight.) The
first unanimous consent agreement set a 90-day trial period. At the end of this period, the House
agreed to another unanimous consent request that extended the practice for the duration of the
Congress. In each Congress since, unanimous consent agreements have been used to authorize
morning-hour speeches.
Days and Meeting Times
The meeting times for morning-hour debate are established in unanimous consent requests agreed
to by the House at the start of a new Congress or session. The current practice follows an
agreement requested by the House majority leader on the opening day of the 116th Congress.22
This agreement states that, on Mondays through Thursdays, when the House is session, the House
shal convene two hours earlier than the daily hour of meeting in order to conduct morning-hour
debate. If the House adopts an order (by motion, resolution, or unanimous consent) to meet at a
time that differs from the daily hour of meeting, the House wil meet to conduct morning-hour
debate at the time designated by the order.23
The daily hour of meeting is determined by a House resolution agreed to at the start of a Congress
or session.24 During the first session of the 116th Congress, H.Res. 10 fixed the daily hour of
meeting as “2 p.m. on Mondays; noon on Tuesdays (or 2 p.m. if no legislative business was
conducted on the preceding Monday); noon on Wednesdays and Thursdays; and 9 a.m. on al
other days of the week.” Thus, during that session, morning-hour debates commenced at noon or
10:00 a.m. on Mondays through Thursdays, unless the House established, by order, a different
time for morning-hour debate. Regardless of when morning-hour debate is provided for, however,
the Speaker is authorized to dispense with the debate period “if emergency reconvening
authorities are exercised.”25
Pursuant to clause 1 of Rule XIV, the House’s daily order of business, unless otherwise ordered,
shal begin with the chaplain’s opening prayer followed by the approval of the Journal and the

22 Unanimous consent agreement, Congressional Record, daily edition (January 3, 2019), p. H198.
23 For example, a Member might state, “I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to
meet on Monday next, when it shall convene at noon for morning-hour debate and 2 p.m. for legislative business.”
Congressional Record, daily edition (March 5, 2020), H1519. For information about House adjournments and setting
the time to reconvene, see CRS Report R42977, Sessions, Adjournm ents, and Recesses of Congress, by Richard S. Beth
and Valerie Heitshusen.
24 At the start of each session of the 116th Congress, the House agreed to a resolution determining the daily hour of
meeting: H.Res. 10, fixing the daily hour of meeting of the first session of the 116th Congress, and H.Res. 778,
providing for the hour of meeting of the House. T he two resolutions contained identical text.
25 House Practice, ch. 16, §50.
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Pledge of Al egiance.26 However, on days designated for morning-hour debate, a previous order
(the unanimous consent agreement that governs morning-hour debate) establishes the following
schedule: morning-hour debate, recess, and resumption of the House session at the time fixed by
resolution or a previous order. Morning-hour debate may not extend beyond 10 minutes before
the time set for the daily hour of meeting. The prayer, approval of the Journal, and the Pledge of
Al egiance are postponed until the House resumes its session after the recess.
Recognition
The time set aside for morning-hour debate is al ocated equal y between the parties. The Speaker
alternates recognition of Members by party for the initial and subsequent speeches. Such
recognition is based on lists submitted to the chair by the majority and minority leaders. Members
wishing to speak must reserve time through their respective leadership. During the morning-hour
period, the Speaker recognizes Members for non-legislative debate only, and such recognition
may be withdrawn.27
Duration
The duration of morning-hour speeches is to be no longer than five minutes. The chair wil not
entertain unanimous consent requests to extend individual speeches beyond five minutes or to
extend the debate period past the 10-minute termination time. The five-minute limit, however, is
not placed on the majority leader, the minority leader, or the minority whip.28
Special-Order Speeches
Special-order speeches are evenly divided between the parties and general y occur following the
conclusion of legislative business. This period can be as long as four hours but may not extend
beyond 10 p.m. Members reserve time to speak through their party leadership and are limited to
one such speech per week. Members may speak for up to one hour, and they may be assigned
shorter al ocations of time at the discretion of party leadership. Each party may establish
additional guidelines to Members regarding requests to speak during the special-order period.
Governing Authorities
Like one-minute speeches, special-order speeches have developed as a unanimous consent
tradition of the House. Members delivering these speeches are restricted by clause 2 of Rule
XVII, which prohibits any Member for speaking for more than one hour in debate, even by
unanimous consent.
The current practice for recognizing and delivering special-order speeches is derived from earlier
Speakers’ policies that have been modified in subsequent Congresses. The announced policy of
the 98th Congress (1983-1984) provided the practice of alternating recognition between the
majority and minority parties.29 The policy of the 103rd Congress (1993-1994) established the
four-hour special-order period following the conclusion of legislative business, the pre-

26 House Manual, §869.
27 House Practice, ch. 16, §50.
28 House Practice, ch. 16, §50; Congressional Record, daily edition (January 3, 2019), p. H198.
29 Congressional Record, vol. 130 (August 8, 1984), p. 22963.
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reservation practice, and a restriction on recognition after midnight, which was changed to 10:00
p.m. in 2011 (112th Congress). In the 116th Congress (2019-2020), the Speaker re-established the
policy of not recognizing a Member for more than one special-order speech per week, “nor may a
Member sign up for a second special-order speech in the same week.”30
Recognition
In normal practice, special-order speeches occur after the conclusion of legislative business. The
period for speeches is no longer than four hours evenly divided between the parties. Speeches
may extend past the four-hour limit with the permission of the chair, which is granted only “with
advance consultation between the leaderships and notification to the House.” Recognition,
however, wil not be granted after 10:00 p.m.
Each party may reserve its first hour for party leaders or their designees. The hour may be
subdivided and real ocated by the leadership concerned. Recognition during this first hour
alternates between the parties. For instance, if a Member of the Democratic Caucus is first
recognized for the first hour of the special-order period on one day, a Member of the Republican
Conference wil be the first recognized for the first hour on the next legislative day that special-
order speeches occur.31
The parties’ second hour of time is divided into two 30-minute periods. First recognition for these
shorter periods also alternates between the parties from day to day.
Recognition for individual Members and the time they are al otted is determined by a list that
party leadership submits to the chair. The chair alternates recognition between the parties and “the
Speaker may withdraw recognition should circumstances warrant.”32
Duration
Special-order speeches may not last for more than one hour during the party’s first al ocated hour
and no more than 30 minutes during the party’s second hour. The one-hour or 30-minute
al ocations may not be extended via a unanimous consent request. Any time that is not claimed
during the 60-minute period or each of the 30-minute periods is “considered to be expired.” If
legislative business concludes after 6:00 p.m., the time for special-order speeches is prorated to
end by 10:00 p.m., al owing both parties the same al otment of the remaining time.33
A Member recognized to speak may yield to colleagues but may not specify a block of time that
the colleague may speak. After yielding, the Member may regain the floor by stating, “reclaiming
my time.” Due to the practice of yielding to colleagues, one special-order speech may include
statements made by more than one Member. Accordingly, leadership may coordinate with
multiple Members to provide a 60-minute speech consisting of several statements on the same
topic.
Inserting Remarks into the Record
In addition to delivering speeches on the House floor, Members may ask unanimous consent to
insert remarks as written statements into the Congressional Record. Alternatively, Members may,

30 Congressional Record, daily edition (January 3, 2019), p. H199.
31 House Practice, ch. 16, §50.
32 T hese circumstances include disorderly conduct. House Practice, ch. 16, §50.
33 Speaker’s announced policy, Congressional Record, daily edition (January 3, 2019), p. H199.
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in their initial request to deliver a non-legislative speech, ask permission to extend and revise
their remarks. Agreement to such a request al ows the Member to make technical, grammatical,
and typographical corrections. Permission to extend remarks also al ows the Member to insert any
undelivered portion of a speech into the Congressional Record. The Member may also insert
extraneous matter, such as articles and letters from constituents. The undelivered portion of the
speech and extraneous matter is printed in a distinctive typeface.
If a Member seeks to insert remarks into the Record adjacent to another Member’s delivered
speech, the Member inserting remarks may coordinate with the other Member in advance of the
delivered speech. To accommodate this, the Member delivering the speech requests unanimous
consent that al Members have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the
subject of the speech. (Some Members routinely make these requests without pre-coordinating
with Members seeking to insert statements.) Agreement to this request al ows other Members to
insert their written remarks into the Record below this point. The statement is printed in
distinctive typeface below the delivered speech.34

34 T o insert remarks into the Congressional Record, Members and staff can submit written statements to the Office of
the Clerk on days in which the House is in session. For information on inserting General Leave statements, which
appear in the House section of the Congressional Record, or extensions of remarks, which are placed in a separate
section of the Record, Members and staff may access “ Congressional Record Inserts” at https://housenet.house.gov/
legislative/research-and-references/transcripts-and-records/congressional-record-inserts.
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Table 1. Non-Legislative Debate in the House
As Commonly Practiced via Unanimous Consent of the House
Reserved
Through
Governing
Party
Form
Authoritiesa
Leadership?
Timingb
Duration
Parliamentary Phrases
At start of the legislative day
Member: Madam [or Mr.] Speaker, I ask
Speaker’s
and after the approval of the
No more than one
unanimous consent to address the House for
announced policy
Journal; occasional y after the
minute; by custom,
One-minute
one minute [and to revise and extend my
and by
conclusion of legislative
exceptions made for
speeches
no
remarks].
unanimous
business and before the start
the Speaker, majority
consent
of special-order speeches or
leader, and minority
Speaker: Without objection, the gentleman [or
at other times during the
leader
gentlewoman] is recognized for one minute.
daily session
Speaker: Pursuant to the order of the House of
Mondays-Thursdays, two
No more than five
____, the Chair wil now recognize Members
hours prior to the daily
minutes; by custom,
from lists submitted by the majority and
Morning-hour Unanimous
convening time or at another
exceptions made for
minority leaders for morning-hour debate. The
debate
consent
yes
time agreed to by the House;
the Speaker, majority
Chair recognizes the gentleman [or
not to extend beyond 10
leader, and minority
gentlewoman] from ____ for 5 minutes.
minutes prior to the
leader
designated convening time
Member: Madam [or Mr.] Speaker, I rise today
to…
After the conclusion of
legislative business and before
One hour or 30
Speaker: Under the Speaker’s announced policy
10 p.m.; four-hour period
minutes or
increments thereof
of ____, the gentleman [or gentlewoman] from
Special-order
Speaker’s
yes
split evenly between parties;
during a four-hour
____ is recognized for ____ minutes.
speeches
announced policy
first two hours control ed by
period that may be
respective party leaders;
Member: Madam [or Mr.] Speaker, I rise today
prorated in order to
second two hours are split
to…
conclude at 10 p.m.
into 30-minute periods
Sources: House Practice; Congressional Record.
Notes:
a. One-minute, special-order, and morning-hour speeches have developed as a unanimous consent practice in compliance with House rules, precedents, and the
Speaker’s announced policies. The governing authorities identified in the table provide the format and requirements specific to the form of non -legislative debate.
b. Non-legislative debate may be al owed on days in which the House is in session and at the discretion of the Speaker.
CRS-10

Non-Legislative Debate in the House

Author Information

Jane A. Hudiburg

Analyst on Congress and the Legislative Process

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