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§ 24. Duties and Functions

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§ 24. Duties and Functions PARTY ORGANIZATION Ch. 3 § 24 in the 85th Congress, on Apr. 15, MR. ARENDS: Mr. Speaker, I request 1958, Majority Leader John W. that there be a division of the question on the resolution so that we may have McCormack, of Massachusetts, a separate vote on the Office of the Speaker pro tempore by designa- Chaplain. tion, requested the majority whip, Carl Albert, of Oklahoma, to as- sume the Chair.(3) After Mr. Al- § 24. Duties and Functions bert assumed the Chair, a resolu- tion was agreed to electing the It is frequently the province of Majority Leader Speaker pro tem- the whip, as it is that of other pore during the absence of the leaders in the House, to perform Speaker. duties of a ceremonial nature, make announcements respecting Request for Division of Ques- ceremonial or formal occasions, tion and extend various courtesies. § 23.7 The minority whip re- Resolution Thanking Speaker quested a division of the § 24.1 The minority whip, or question on the resolution someone acting for him, has electing House officers. customarily assumed the On Jan. 10, 1967, following the Chair to preside over the introduction of the resolution re- consideration of a resolution, lating to the election of House offi- offered at the end of a Con- cers, the Republican Conference gress, expressing the grati- Chairman announced that he in- tude of the House for the tended to offer a substitute for the manner in which the Speak- resolution. In response to an in- quiry from the Chair as to wheth- er has performed the duties er a division of the question was of the Chair. desired, Mr. Leslie C. Arends, of jority party’s candidates for the of- Illinois, the Republican whip, fices of Clerk, Sergeant At Arms, ( ) made the request as follows: 4 Doorkeeper, Postmaster, and Chap- lain is generally offered by the chair- 3. 104 CONG. REC. 6436, 85th Cong. 2d man of the majority caucus (see Sess. As to illustrative instances in § 3.9, supra). Frequently, the chair- which the minority whip has as- man of the minority caucus or con- sumed the Chair to preside over pro- ference has offered a substitute for ceedings of a ceremonial nature, see the resolution and at the same time § 24.1, infra. requested a division of the question 4. 113 CONG. REC. 27, 90th Cong. 1st to allow a separate vote on the office Sess. The resolution naming the ma- of Chaplain (see § 3.9, supra). 261 Ch. 3 § 24 DESCHLER’S PRECEDENTS The proceedings of Sept. 1, the committee to notify the 1960, illustrative of honors ac- President that Congress has corded the Speaker at the end of assembled. a Congress, were as follows: (5) In the 90th (10) and 91st (11) Con- THE SPEAKER: (6) Will the gentleman gresses, for example, the Speaker ( ) from Illinois [Mr. Arends] 7 kindly on each occasion appointed a com- take the chair? Mr. Arends assumed the Chair as mittee comprised of the majority Speaker pro tempore. and minority floor leaders and the MR. [CHARLES A.] HALLECK [of Indi- majority whip, to join with a simi- ana]: Mr. Speaker, I offer a resolution lar committee from the Senate, to (H. Res. 647) and ask for its immediate notify the President that a consideration. quorum of each House had assem- The Clerk read the resolution, as fol- lows: bled and the Congress was ready Resolved, That the thanks of the to receive any communication that House are presented to the Honor- the President might be pleased to able Sam Rayburn, Speaker of the make.(12) House of Representatives, for the able, impartial, and dignified man- ner in which he has presided over Announcements or Requests the deliberations and performed the Relating to Formal Occasions arduous duties of the Chair during the present term of Congress. § 24.3 The party whips have on Similarly proceedings have occasion made announce- ( ) taken place in other Congresses, 8 ments or requests relating to although on occasion another formal occasions, visits by Member has been designated to dignitaries, and the like. act for the whip in presiding over the resolution.(9) The whips have made an- nouncements respecting formal oc- Committee to Notify President casions. As an example, the mi- nority whip, a member of the § 24.2 The majority whip has Joint Inaugural Committee, made frequently been appointed to an announcement on Jan. 16, 5. 106 CONG. REC. 19161, 19162, 86th 10. See 113 CONG. REC. 327, 328, 90th Cong. 2d Sess. Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 10, 1967. 6. Sam Rayburn (Tex.). 11. See 115 CONG. REC. 35, 91st Cong. 7. Mr. Leslie C. Arends (Ill.) was the 1st Sess., Jan. 3, 1969. minority whip. 12. See, for further discussion of the se- 8. See §§ 12.3, 21.9, supra. lection of the committee to notify the 9. See § 12.3, supra. President, §§ 3.15, 21.4, supra. 262 PARTY ORGANIZATION Ch. 3 § 24 1953,(13) respecting transportation MR. BOGGS: Mr. Speaker, one of the arrangements on the occasion of significant events of recent years has the inauguration ceremonies. been the exchange of visits by the members of the free parliaments of the world. We are very fortunate today to On Apr. 29, 1957, the majority have in our midst a distinguished dele- whip, Carl Albert, of Oklahoma, gation of parliamentarians from the made a unanimous-consent re- great country of India. quest that it should be in order on a designated day for the Speaker By way of further illustration, to declare a recess for the purpose party whips have made appro- of receiving the President of the priate remarks in the House on ( ) Republic of Viet Nam. 14 the occasion of consideration of a resolution commending John W. Expressions of Courtesy McCormack, of Massachusetts, on his length of service as Speak- er,(16) on the occasion of the Par- § 24.4 The party whips have liamentarian’s birthday,(17) and frequently made remarks in the like. the House in recognition of particular events, or ex- On the last day of the 89th Con- tended courtesies as appro- gress, the majority whip, Mr. priate. Boggs, acting for the Majority Leader, praised the work of the Illustrative of the remarks Congress and its Members and made by the party whips in rec- employees;(18) yielded to others for ognition of particular events were similar remarks; and asked unani- those made by the majority whip, mous consent that the Majority Hale Boggs, of Louisiana, on the Leader be permitted to extend his occasion of a visit by members of remarks, of a similar nature, in the Indian Parliament. The re- the Record.(19) marks in part were as follows: (15) 16. 116 CONG. REC. 17022, 17023, 91st 13. 99 CONG. REC. 421, 83d Cong. 1st Cong. 2d Sess., May 26, 1970. Sess. 17. 116 CONG. REC. 5710, 91st Cong. 2d 14. 103 CONG. REC. 6127, 85th Cong. 1st Sess., Mar. 3, 1970 (remarks of Mr. Sess. For similar requests made by Leslie C. Arends [Ill.]). the Majority Leader, see § 21.22, 18. 112 CONG. REC. 28866–28868, 89th supra. Cong. 2d Sess., Oct. 22, 1966. 15. 109 CONG. REC. 11746, 11747, 88th 19. 112 CONG. REC. 28867, 89th Cong. Cong. 1st Sess., June 26, 1963. 2d Sess., Oct. 22, 1966. 263.
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