85. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Public Expenditures to examine into the state of the several public departments, and particularly into laws making appropriations of money, and to report whether the moneys have been disbursed conformably with such laws; and also to report, from time to time, such provisions and arrangements as may be necessary to add to the economy of the departments, and the accountability of their officers.-February 26, 1814. 86. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Private Land Claims to take into consideration all claims to land which may be referred to them, or shall or may come in question; and to report their opinion thereupon, together with such propositions for relief therein as to them shall seem expedient.-April 29, 1816. 87. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Military Affairs to take into consideration all subjects relating to the military establishment and public defence which may be referred to them by the House, and to report their opinion thereupon; and also to report, from time to time, such measures as may contribute to economy and accountability in the said establishment.-March 13, 1822. 88. It shall be the duty of the Committee on the Militia to take into consideration and report on all subjects connected with the organizing, arming, and disciplining the militia of the United States.— December 10, 1835. 89. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Naval Affairs to take into consideration all matters which concern the naval establishment, and which shall be referred to them by the House, and to report their opinion thereupon; and also to report, from time to time, such measures as may contribute to economy and accountability in the said establishment.-March 13, 1822. 90. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Foreign Affairs to take into consideration all matters which concern the relations of the United States with foreign nations, and which shall be referred to them by the House, and to report their opinion on the same.-March 13, 1822. 91. It shall be the duty of the Committee on the Territories to examine into the legislative, civil, and criminal proceedings of the Territories, and to devise and report to the House such means as, in their opinion, may be necessary to secure the rights and privileges of residents and non-residents-December 13, 1825. 92. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions to take into consideration all such matters respecting pensions for services in the revolutionary war, other than invalid peusions, as shall be referred to them by the House.-January 10, 1831. 93. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Invalid Pensions to take into consideration all such matters respecting invalid pensions as shall be referred to them by the House.-January 10, 1831. 94. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Roads and Canals to take into consideration all such petitions and matters or things relating to roads and canals, and the improvement of the navigation of rivers, as shall be presented, or may come in question, and be referred to them by the House; and to report thereupon, together with such propositions relative thereto as to them shall seem expedient.-December 15, 1831. 95. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Patents to consider all subjects relating to patents which may be referred to them; and report their opinion thereon, together with such propositions relative thereto as may seem to them expedient.-September 15, 1837. 96. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds to consider all subjects relating to the public edifices and grounds within the city of Washington which may be referred to them; and report their opinion thereon, together with such propositions relating thereto as may seem to them expedient.-September 15, 1837. 97. It shall be the duty of the Committee of Revisal and Unfinished Business to examine and report what laws have expired, or are near expiring, and require to be revived or further continued; also to examine and report, from the journal of last session, all such matters as were then depending and undetermined. -December 14, 1795. 98. It shall be the duty of the Committee of Accounts to superintend and control the expenditures of the contingent fund of the House of Representatives-December 17, 1805; also to audit and settle all accounts which may be charged thereon. -December 23, 1811. 99. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Mileage to ascertain and report the distance to the Sergeant-at-arms, for which each member shall receive pay.-September 15, 1837. 100. There shall be referred by the Clerk to the members of the Committee on Printing on the part of the House all drawings, maps, charts, or other papers, which may at any time come before the House for engraving, lithographing, or publishing in any way; which committee shall report to the House whether the same ought, in their opinion, to be published; and if the House order the publication of the same, that said committee shall direct the size and manner of execution of all such maps, charts, drawings, or other papers, and contract by agreement, in writing, for all such engraving, lithographing, printing, drawing, and coloring, as may be ordered by the House; which agreement, in writing, shall be furnished by said committee to the Committee of Accounts, to govern said committee in all allowances for such works; and it shall be in order for said committee to report at all times.-March 16, 1844. 101. It shall be in order for the Committee on Enrolled BillsMarch 13, 1822-and the Committee on Printing to report at any time.-March 16, 1860. 102. Seven additional standing committees shall be appointed at the commencement of the first session in each Congress, whose duties shall continue until the first session of the ensuing Congress.-March 30, 1816. To consist of five members each. 1. A committee on so much of the public accounts and expenditures as relates to the Department of State; 2. A committee on so much of the public accounts and expenditures as relates to the Treasury Department; 3. A committee on so much of the public accounts and expenditures as relates to the Department of War; 4. A committee on so much of the public accounts and expenditures as relates to the Department of the Navy; 5. A committee on so much of the public accounts and expenditures as relates to the Post Office; 6. A committee on so much of the public accounts and expenditures as relates to the Public Buildings; and 7. A committee on so much of the public accounts and expenditures as relates to the Interior Department. 103. It shall be the duty of the said committees to examine into the state of the accounts and expenditures respectively submitted to them, and to inquire and report particularly Whether the expenditures of the respective departments are justified by law; Whether the claims from time to time satisfied and discharged by the respective departments are supported by sufficient vouchers, establishing their justness both as to their character and amount; Whether such claims have been discharged out of funds appropriated therefor, and whether all moneys have been disbursed in conformity with appropriation laws; and Whether any, and what, provisions are necessary to be adopted to provide more perfectly for the proper application of the public moneys, and to secure the government from demands unjust in their character or extravagant in their amount. And it shall be, moreover, the duty of the said committees to report, from time to time, whether any, and what, retrenchment can be made in the expenditures of the several departments, without detriment to the public service; whether any, and what, abuses at any time exist in the failure to enforce the payment of moneys which may be due to the United States from public defaulters or others; and to report, from time to time, such provisions and arrangements as may be necessary to add to the economy of the several departments and the accountability of their officers.-March 30, 1816. It shall be the duty of the several committees on public expenditures to inquire whether any offices belonging to the branches or departments, respectively, concerning whose expenditures it is their duty to inquire, have become useless or unnecessary; and to report, from time to time, on the expediency of modifying or abolishing the same; also, to examine into the pay and emoluments of all offices. under the laws of the United States; and to report, from time to time, such a reduction or increase thereof as a just economy and the public service may require.-February 19, 1817. OF COMMITTEES OF THE WHOLE. 104. The House may at any time, by a vote of a majority of the members present, suspend the rules and orders for the purpose of going into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union; and also for providing for the discharge of the Committee of the Whole House and the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union-January 25, 1848-from the further consideration of any bill referred to it, after acting without debate on all amendments pending and that may be offered.-March 11, 1844. 105. In forming a Committee of the Whole House, the Speaker shall leave his chair, and a chairman, to preside in committee, shall be appointed by the Speaker.-April 7, 1789. 106. Whenever the Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union, or the Committee of the Whole House, finds itself without a quorum, the chairman shall cause the roll of the House to be called, and thereupon the committee shall rise, and the chairman shall report the names of the absentees to the House, which shall be entered on the journal. December 18, 1847. 107. Upon bills committed to a Committee of the Whole House, the bill shall be first read throughout by the Clerk, and then again read and debated by clauses, leaving the preamble to be last considered. The body of the bill shall not be defaced or interlined; but all amendments, noting the page and line, shall be duly entered by the Clerk on a separate paper, as the same shall be agreed to by the committee, and so reported to the House. After report, the bill shall again be subject to be debated and amended by clauses before a question to engross it be taken.-April 17, 1789. 108. All amendments made to an original motion in committee shall be incorporated with the motion, and so reported.—April 7, 1789. 109. All amendments made to a report committed to a Committee of the Whole House shall be noted, and reported, as in the case of bills.—April 7, 1789. 110. No motion or proposition for a tax or charge upon the people shall be discussed the day on which it is made or offered, and every such proposition shall receive its first discussion in a Committee of the Whole House.-November 13, 1794. 111. No sum or quantum of tax or duty, voted by a Committee of the Whole House, shall be increased in the House until the motion. or proposition for such increase shall be first discussed and voted in a Committee of the Whole House, and so in respect to the time of its continuance.-November 13, 1794. 112. All proceedings touching appropriations of money shall be first discussed in a Committee of the Whole House.-November 13, 1794. 113. The rules of proceedings in the House shall be observed in a Committee of the Whole House, so far as they may be applicable, except the rule limiting the times of speaking—April 7, 1789; but no member shall speak twice to any question until every member choosing to speak shall have spoken.-December 18, 1805. 114. In Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union, the bills shall be taken up and disposed of in their order on the calendar; but when objection is made to the consideration of a bill, a majority of the committee shall decide, without debate, whether it shall be taken up and disposed of, or laid aside: provided, that general appropriation bills, and, in time of war, bills for raising men or money, and bills concerning a treaty of peace, shall be preferred to all other bills, at the discretion of the committee; and when demanded by any member, the question shall first be put in regard to them-July 27, 1848; and all debate on special orders shall be confined strictly to the measure under consideration.-March 16, 1860. OF BILLS. 115. Every bill shall be introduced on the report of a committee, or by motion for leave. In the latter case, at least one day's notice shall be given of the motion in the House, or by filing a memorandum thereof with the clerk, and having it entered on the journal; and the motion shall be made, and the bill introduced, if leave is given, when resolutions are called for; such motion, or the bill when introduced, may be committed.-April 7, 1789; September 15, 1837; and March 2, 1838. 116. Every bill shall receive three several readings in the House previous to its passage; and bills shall be despatched in order as they were introduced, unless where the House shall direct otherwise; but no bill shall be twice read on the same day without special order of the House.-April 7, 1789. 117. The first reading of a bill shall be for information, and, if opposition be made to it, the question shall be, "Shall this bill be rejected?" If no opposition be made, or if the question to reject be negatived, the bill shall go to its second reading without a question.April 7, 1789. 118. Upon the second reading of a bill, the Speaker shall state it as ready for commitment or engrossment; and, if committed, then a question shall be, whether to a select or standing committee, or to a Committee of the Whole House; if to a Committee of the Whole House, the House shall determine on what day-November 13, 1794; if no motion be made to commit, the question shall be stated on its engrossment; and if it be not ordered to be engrossed on the day of its being reported, it shall be placed on the general file on the Speaker's table, to be taken up in order.-September 14, 1837. But if the bill be ordered to be engrossed, the House shall appoint the day when it shall be read the third time.-November 13, 1794. 119. General appropriation bills shall be in order in preference to any other bills of a public nature unless otherwise ordered by a majority of the House.-September 14, 1837. And the House may, at any time, by a vote of a majority of the members present, make any of the general appropriation bills a special order.--March 16, 1860. 120. No appropriation shall be reported in such general appropriation bills, or be in order as an amendment thereto, for any expenditure not previously authorized by law-September 14, 1837-unless in continuation of appropriations for such public works and objects as |
