be reconsidered, and that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table;" which latter motion having been decided in the affirmative, no reconsideration can take place, and the transmission of the bill to the Senate cannot be delayed. Indeed, Motion to recon it is not uncommon to make the motion "to reconsider and lie" at every stage of the bill.]

sider and lie.

Certified by Clerk and taken to the Senate.

The bill is then, as required by Rule 127, "certified by the Clerk, notifying the day of its passage at the foot thereof," and conveyed by him to the Senate, "together with all the papers on which it is founded," as required by Joint Rule 14. Not to be taken But "no bill that shall have passed one house shall be sent last three days of for concurrence to the other on either of the last three days

to the Senate on

session.

of the session.”—Joint Rule 16. [This rule is almost invariably suspended by the two houses near the close of a session.] While bills are on their passage between the two houses, between the two they shall be on paper, and under the signature of the Secretary or Clerk of each house respectively."-Joint Rule 5.

To be on paper, when on passage

houses.

After the return

of, from Senate

[After the bill has been acted on by the Senate, it is brought with amendment. back to the House by the Secretary of the Senate, together with a report of their action thereon. If it has passed with amendment, it is placed on the Speaker's table, to be taken up in its order under the 54th Rule.

Action on Senate amendment to.

When the Sen

ate amendment is agreed to.

Amendments between the houses.

After passage by

both houses, to be

ment.

When taken up, the amendment of the Senate may be either agreed to, disagreed to, or agreed to with amendment; in case of an appropriation of money being involved in the amendment, however, it must be first considered in a Committee of the Whole.

If the amendment of the Senate is agreed to, that body is notified of the fact by message through the Clerk, and the bill is enrolled.]

In case of disagreement by the House to, or amendment of, the Senate's amendment, see AMENDMENTS BETWEEN THE HOUSES and CONFERENCE COMMITTEES.

“After a bill shall have passed both houses, it shall be duly enrolled on parch- enrolled on parchment by the Clerk of the House of Representatives or the Secretary of the Senate, as the bill may have originated in the one or the other house, before it shall be presented to the President of the United States.”—Joint Rule 6.

When enrolled, to be examined.

"When bills are enrolled, they shall be examined by a joint committee of two from the Senate and two from the House of Representatives, appointed as a standing committee for that purpose, who shall carefully compare the enrolment with the

engrossed bills, as passed in the two houses, and, correcting any errors that may be discovered in the enrolled bills, make their report forthwith to their respective houses.”—Joint Rule 7.

(See ENROLLED BILLS, COMMITTEE ON.)

to be reported to

“After examination and report, each bill shall be signed in. When examined their respective houses, first by the Speaker of the House of House and signed Representatives, then by the President of the Senate."-Joint Rule S.

by Speaker.

After being signed by presiding of

sented to Presi

day of session.

“After a bill shall have been thus signed in each house, it shall be presented by the said committee to the President of ficers, to be prethe United States for his approbation, it being first indorsed dent. on the back of the roll, certifying in which house the same originated; which indorsement shall be signed by the Secretary or Clerk (as the case may be) of the house in which the same did originate, and shall be entered on the Journal of each house. The said committee shall report the day of presentation to the President, which time shall also be carefully entered on the Journal of each house."-Joint Rule 9. But But not on last "no bill or resolution that shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate shall be presented to the President of the United States for his approbation on the last day of the session."-Joint Rule 17. [This rule, like the 16th, is generally suspended near the close of the session.] After a bill is presented to the President, "if he approve he After being preshall sign it; but if not, he shall return it, with his objections, dent. to that house in which it shall have originated."-Const., 1, 7, p. 10. [Where the President approves a bill, it is customary for him to notify the house where the bill originated of the proved. fact, and the date of his approval, which is entered on the Journal.]

When an act has been approved by the President the usual number of copies shall be printed for the use of the House.— Rule 157. And messages from the President giving notice of bills approved shall be repeated from the Clerk's desk forthwith.-Rule 158.

In case of a bill returned with the objections of the President, see VETO.

sented to Presi

Where bill is ap

Where vetoed.

turned within ten

"If any bill shall not be returned by the President within Where not reten days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been present- days. ed to him, the same shall be a law, in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress, by their adjournment, prevent

its return, in which case it shall not be a law."-Const., 1, 7, p. 10. Where a bill is allowed to become a law by reason of the failure of the President to return the same, it is usual for him to notify the House of that fact, as in the case of approWhere President val.-Journals, 2, 36, pp. 424, 480; 2, 39, p. 479. And where returning by rea- he is prevented by an adjournment from returning a bill, it is usual for him to communicate his reasons for not approving it at the next session.-Journals, 2, 12, p. 544; 1, 30, p. 82; 2, 35, p. 151.

is prevented from

son of adjournment.

Where bill of

jected in the other.

"When a bill or resolution which shall have passed in one one house is re- house is rejected in the other, notice thereof shall be given to the house in which the same shall have passed."—Joint Rule Not to be brought 12. And when so rejected, "it shall not be brought in during leave of two- the same session, without a notice of ten days and leave of two-thirds of that house in which it shall be renewed.”—Joint Rule 13.

in again without

thirds.

Bills undisposed of at end of session.

Printing of.

Of extra copies of documents.

Of session documents.

Superintendent

of Public Printing

In regard to bills left undisposed of at the end of a session, see UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

In regard to the printing of bills, see PRINTING, Public.

BINDING.

Extra copies of documents, the size of which shall not be less than 250 pages, shall be bound under the direction of the Committee on Printing on the part of the House, at a cost not exceeding 12 cents per volume.-Act of March 3, 1853 Stat. at Large, Vol. X, p. 190.

"The Clerk shall have preserved for each member of the House an extra copy, in good binding, of all the documents printed by order of either house at each future session of Congress.”—Rule 18.

By the joint resolution of June 23, 1860, the Superintendto have executed. ent of Public Printing is directed to have the binding of each House executed. Stat. at Large, Vol. XII, p. 117 to 120. (See PRINTING, PUBLIC.)

by Superintend

BLANK BOOKS.

To be furnished All the blank books ordered by Congress, or by either Public House of Congress, shall be done and executed under the Superintendent of Public Printing.—Stat. at Large, Vol. XII, p.

ent of Printing.

"In filling up blanks, the largest sum and longest time shall be first put.”—Rule 50. [But where a specific time or sum

Left

by

one

These may house may be filled returned to by the other.

stands part of a motion, it is not until it is struck out, and a blank thereby produced, that this rule can begin to operate.] "A bill passed by the one house with blanks. be filled up by the other by way of amendments, the first as such, and passed."-Manual, p. 107. "In all ballotings blanks shall be rejected, and not taken Not to be countinto the count in enumeration of votes, or reported by the tellers."-Rule 12.

ed in ballotings.

BOND.

Arms.

The Sergeant-at-Arms shall give bond, with surety, to the Of Sergeant-atUnited States, in a sum not less than five nor more than ten thousand dollars, at the discretion of the Speaker, and with such surety as the Speaker may approve, faithfully to account for the money coming into his hands for the pay of members.”. Rule 26.

The Clerk shall, within thirty days after he enters upon the of Clerk. duties of his office, give bond to the United States, with one or more sureties, to be approved by the Comptroller of the Treasury, in the penal sum of twenty thousand dollars, with condition for the faithful application and disbursement of the contingent fund of the House.-Stat. at Large, Vol. III, p. 212.

BOOKS.

ed by members, to

compensation.

"If any books shall hereafter be ordered to and received by Price of, receivmembers of Congress by a resolution of either or both houses be deducted from of Congress, the price paid for the same shall be deducted. from the compensation provided for such member or members: Provided, however, That this shall not extend to books ordered to be printed by the public printer during the Congress for which the said member shall have been elected.". Stat. at Large, Vol. XI, p. 49.

BRIBERY.

of

An offer to bribe a member is held to be a breach of the Attempted, member, breach of privileges of the House.-Journals, 1, 4, p. 389; 1, 15, pp. privilege. 117, 154; Manual, p. 55.

Congress.

By the act of February 26, 1853, it is provided "that if Of members of any person or persons shall, directly or indirectly, promise, offer or give, or cause or procure to be promised, offered, or given, any money, goods, right in action, bribe, present or

reward, or any promise, contract, undertaking, obligation, or security for the payment or delivery of any money, goods, right in action, bribe, present or reward, or any other valuable thing whatever, to any member of the Senate or House of Representatives, after his election as such member, and either before or after he shall have qualified and taken his seat, or to any officer of the United States, or person holding any place of profit or trust, or discharging any official function under, or in connection with, any department of the government of the United States, or under the Senate or House of RepresentaOf employés of tives of the United States, with intent to influence his vote or

the House.

bribes.

decision on any question, matter, cause, or proceeding which may then be pending, or may by law, or under the Constitution of the United States, be brought befroe him in his official capacity, or in his place of trust or profit, and shall be convicted thereof, such person or persons so offering, promising, or giving, or causing or procuring to be promised, offered, or given, any such money, goods, right in action, bribe, present, or reward, or any promise, contract, undertaking, obligation, or security for the payment or delivery of any money, goods, right in action, bribe, present or reward, or other valuable Acceptance of thing whatever; and the member, officer, or person who shall in anywise accept or receive the same, or any part thereof, shall be liable to indictment as for a high crime and misdemeanor in any court of the United States having jurisdiction for the trial of crimes and misdemeanors, and shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined not exceeding three times the amount so offered, promised, or given, and imprisoned in a penitentiary not exceeding three years; and the person convicted of so accepting or receiving the same, or any part thereof, if an officer or person holding any such place of trust or profit as aforesaid, shall forfeit his office or place; and any person so convicted under this section shall forever be disqualified to hold any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States." Stat. at Large, Vol. X., p. 171.

Penalty for.

Reading of the Journal.

BUSINESS-DAILY ORDER OF.

The Speaker shall take the chair every day precisely at the hour to which the house shall have adjourned on the preceding day; shall immediately call the members to order; and, on the appearance of a quorum, shall cause the Journal of the preceding day to be read."— Rule 1.