Congress has always considered to norms of behavior such as courtesy and reciprocity to be critical to collective policymaking. These forms of behavior, which in recent years have come to be referred to as “comity”, have been understood to “both standards of behavior for members and the mutual respect of the two chambers for each others’ prerogatives”. During debate in the House, comity is to be preserved through the establishment, observance, and the enforcement of standards of decorum. These standards are in House rules, related sections of Jefferson’s Manual, the House’s precedents, and “announced policies” of the Speaker. The rules of the House also provide the chair and individual members with a range of mechanisms for enforcing decorum in floor debate. This report examines the standards governing decorum in House debate and discusses the different procedures available for enforcing them. Examples of alleged breaches of decorum during 103rd – 105^th Congresses are provided to illustrate the use of these enforcement procedures, and the interpretation of decorum standards through the chair’s rulings, admonitions and responses to parliamentary inquiries.

At the beginning of a daily session of the House, the Speaker may appoint a majority party representative to preside in the Speaker’s absence as Speaker pro tempore. When the House resolves itself into the Committee of the Whole, the Speaker appoints a majority party representative to preside as chairman during consideration of a particular measure. In this report, the term “chair” refers to the presiding Representative in both the House and the Committee of the Whole. Though this report focuses on House floor debate, the House’s rules and precedents for decorum in debate generally apply as well in committees and subcommittees.

Internet: <http://www.house.gov/rules/98-572.pdf> (with adaptations).

Congress has always considered to norms of behavior such as courtesy and reciprocity to be critical to collective policymaking. These forms of behavior, which in recent years have come to be referred to as “comity”, have been understood to “both standards of behavior for members and the mutual respect of the two chambers for each others’ prerogatives”. During debate in the House, comity is to be preserved through the establishment, observance, and the enforcement of standards of decorum. These standards are in House rules, related sections of Jefferson’s Manual, the House’s precedents, and “announced policies” of the Speaker. The rules of the House also provide the chair and individual members with a range of mechanisms for enforcing decorum in floor debate. This report examines the standards governing decorum in House debate and discusses the different procedures available for enforcing them. Examples of alleged breaches of decorum during 103rd – 105^th Congresses are provided to illustrate the use of these enforcement procedures, and the interpretation of decorum standards through the chair’s rulings, admonitions and responses to parliamentary inquiries.

At the beginning of a daily session of the House, the Speaker may appoint a majority party representative to preside in the Speaker’s absence as Speaker pro tempore. When the House resolves itself into the Committee of the Whole, the Speaker appoints a majority party representative to preside as chairman during consideration of a particular measure. In this report, the term “chair” refers to the presiding Representative in both the House and the Committee of the Whole. Though this report focuses on House floor debate, the House’s rules and precedents for decorum in debate generally apply as well in committees and subcommittees.

Internet: <http://www.house.gov/rules/98-572.pdf> (with adaptations).

Congress has always considered to norms of behavior such as courtesy and reciprocity to be critical to collective policymaking. These forms of behavior, which in recent years have come to be referred to as “comity”, have been understood to “both standards of behavior for members and the mutual respect of the two chambers for each others’ prerogatives”. During debate in the House, comity is to be preserved through the establishment, observance, and the enforcement of standards of decorum. These standards are in House rules, related sections of Jefferson’s Manual, the House’s precedents, and “announced policies” of the Speaker. The rules of the House also provide the chair and individual members with a range of mechanisms for enforcing decorum in floor debate. This report examines the standards governing decorum in House debate and discusses the different procedures available for enforcing them. Examples of alleged breaches of decorum during 103rd – 105^th Congresses are provided to illustrate the use of these enforcement procedures, and the interpretation of decorum standards through the chair’s rulings, admonitions and responses to parliamentary inquiries.

At the beginning of a daily session of the House, the Speaker may appoint a majority party representative to preside in the Speaker’s absence as Speaker pro tempore. When the House resolves itself into the Committee of the Whole, the Speaker appoints a majority party representative to preside as chairman during consideration of a particular measure. In this report, the term “chair” refers to the presiding Representative in both the House and the Committee of the Whole. Though this report focuses on House floor debate, the House’s rules and precedents for decorum in debate generally apply as well in committees and subcommittees.

Internet: <http://www.house.gov/rules/98-572.pdf> (with adaptations).

Congress has always considered to norms of behavior such as courtesy and reciprocity to be critical to collective policymaking. These forms of behavior, which in recent years have come to be referred to as “comity”, have been understood to “both standards of behavior for members and the mutual respect of the two chambers for each others’ prerogatives”. During debate in the House, comity is to be preserved through the establishment, observance, and the enforcement of standards of decorum. These standards are in House rules, related sections of Jefferson’s Manual, the House’s precedents, and “announced policies” of the Speaker. The rules of the House also provide the chair and individual members with a range of mechanisms for enforcing decorum in floor debate. This report examines the standards governing decorum in House debate and discusses the different procedures available for enforcing them. Examples of alleged breaches of decorum during 103rd – 105^th Congresses are provided to illustrate the use of these enforcement procedures, and the interpretation of decorum standards through the chair’s rulings, admonitions and responses to parliamentary inquiries.

At the beginning of a daily session of the House, the Speaker may appoint a majority party representative to preside in the Speaker’s absence as Speaker pro tempore. When the House resolves itself into the Committee of the Whole, the Speaker appoints a majority party representative to preside as chairman during consideration of a particular measure. In this report, the term “chair” refers to the presiding Representative in both the House and the Committee of the Whole. Though this report focuses on House floor debate, the House’s rules and precedents for decorum in debate generally apply as well in committees and subcommittees.

Internet: <http://www.house.gov/rules/98-572.pdf> (with adaptations).

Congress has always considered to norms of behavior such as courtesy and reciprocity to be critical to collective policymaking. These forms of behavior, which in recent years have come to be referred to as “comity”, have been understood to “both standards of behavior for members and the mutual respect of the two chambers for each others’ prerogatives”. During debate in the House, comity is to be preserved through the establishment, observance, and the enforcement of standards of decorum. These standards are in House rules, related sections of Jefferson’s Manual, the House’s precedents, and “announced policies” of the Speaker. The rules of the House also provide the chair and individual members with a range of mechanisms for enforcing decorum in floor debate. This report examines the standards governing decorum in House debate and discusses the different procedures available for enforcing them. Examples of alleged breaches of decorum during 103rd – 105^th Congresses are provided to illustrate the use of these enforcement procedures, and the interpretation of decorum standards through the chair’s rulings, admonitions and responses to parliamentary inquiries.

At the beginning of a daily session of the House, the Speaker may appoint a majority party representative to preside in the Speaker’s absence as Speaker pro tempore. When the House resolves itself into the Committee of the Whole, the Speaker appoints a majority party representative to preside as chairman during consideration of a particular measure. In this report, the term “chair” refers to the presiding Representative in both the House and the Committee of the Whole. Though this report focuses on House floor debate, the House’s rules and precedents for decorum in debate generally apply as well in committees and subcommittees.

Internet: <http://www.house.gov/rules/98-572.pdf> (with adaptations).

Congress has always considered (A) to norms of behavior such as courtesy and reciprocity to be critical to collective policymaking. These forms of behavior, which in recent years have come to be referred to as “comity”, have been understood to (B) “both standards of behavior for members and the mutual respect of the two chambers for each others’ prerogatives”. During debate in the House, comity is to be preserved through the establishment, observance, and the enforcement of standards of decorum. These standards are (C) in House rules, related sections of Jefferson’s Manual, the House’s precedents, and “announced policies” of the Speaker. The rules of the House also provide the chair and individual members with a range of mechanisms for enforcing decorum in floor debate. This report examines the standards governing decorum in House debate and discusses the different procedures available for enforcing them. Examples of alleged breaches of decorum during 103rd – 105^th Congresses are provided to illustrate the use of these enforcement procedures, and the interpretation of decorum standards through the chair’s rulings, admonitions and responses to parliamentary inquiries.

At the beginning of a daily session of the House, the Speaker may appoint a majority party representative to preside in the Speaker’s absence as Speaker pro tempore. When the House resolves itself into the Committee of the Whole, the Speaker appoints a majority party representative to preside as chairman during consideration of a particular measure. In this report, the term “chair” refers to the presiding Representative in both the House and the Committee of the Whole. Though this report focuses on House floor debate, the House’s rules and precedents for decorum in debate generally apply as well in committees and subcommittees.

Internet: <http://www.house.gov/rules/98-572.pdf> (with adaptations).

Congress has always considered (A) to norms of behavior such as courtesy and reciprocity to be critical to collective policymaking. These forms of behavior, which in recent years have come to be referred to as “comity”, have been understood to (B) “both standards of behavior for members and the mutual respect of the two chambers for each others’ prerogatives”. During debate in the House, comity is to be preserved through the establishment, observance, and the enforcement of standards of decorum. These standards are (C) in House rules, related sections of Jefferson’s Manual, the House’s precedents, and “announced policies” of the Speaker. The rules of the House also provide the chair and individual members with a range of mechanisms for enforcing decorum in floor debate. This report examines the standards governing decorum in House debate and discusses the different procedures available for enforcing them. Examples of alleged breaches of decorum during 103rd – 105^th Congresses are provided to illustrate the use of these enforcement procedures, and the interpretation of decorum standards through the chair’s rulings, admonitions and responses to parliamentary inquiries.

At the beginning of a daily session of the House, the Speaker may appoint a majority party representative to preside in the Speaker’s absence as Speaker pro tempore. When the House resolves itself into the Committee of the Whole, the Speaker appoints a majority party representative to preside as chairman during consideration of a particular measure. In this report, the term “chair” refers to the presiding Representative in both the House and the Committee of the Whole. Though this report focuses on House floor debate, the House’s rules and precedents for decorum in debate generally apply as well in committees and subcommittees.

Internet: <http://www.house.gov/rules/98-572.pdf> (with adaptations).

Congress has always considered (A) to norms of behavior such as courtesy and reciprocity to be critical to collective policymaking. These forms of behavior, which in recent years have come to be referred to as “comity”, have been understood to (B) “both standards of behavior for members and the mutual respect of the two chambers for each others’ prerogatives”. During debate in the House, comity is to be preserved through the establishment, observance, and the enforcement of standards of decorum. These standards are (C) in House rules, related sections of Jefferson’s Manual, the House’s precedents, and “announced policies” of the Speaker. The rules of the House also provide the chair and individual members with a range of mechanisms for enforcing decorum in floor debate. This report examines the standards governing decorum in House debate and discusses the different procedures available for enforcing them. Examples of alleged breaches of decorum during 103rd – 105^th Congresses are provided to illustrate the use of these enforcement procedures, and the interpretation of decorum standards through the chair’s rulings, admonitions and responses to parliamentary inquiries.

At the beginning of a daily session of the House, the Speaker may appoint a majority party representative to preside in the Speaker’s absence as Speaker pro tempore. When the House resolves itself into the Committee of the Whole, the Speaker appoints a majority party representative to preside as chairman during consideration of a particular measure. In this report, the term “chair” refers to the presiding Representative in both the House and the Committee of the Whole. Though this report focuses on House floor debate, the House’s rules and precedents for decorum in debate generally apply as well in committees and subcommittees.

Internet: <http://www.house.gov/rules/98-572.pdf> (with adaptations).

Congress has always considered (A) to norms of behavior such as courtesy and reciprocity to be critical to collective policymaking. These forms of behavior, which in recent years have come to be referred to as “comity”, have been understood to (B) “both standards of behavior for members and the mutual respect of the two chambers for each others’ prerogatives”. During debate in the House, comity is to be preserved through the establishment, observance, and the enforcement of standards of decorum. These standards are (C) in House rules, related sections of Jefferson’s Manual, the House’s precedents, and “announced policies” of the Speaker. The rules of the House also provide the chair and individual members with a range of mechanisms for enforcing decorum in floor debate. This report examines the standards governing decorum in House debate and discusses the different procedures available for enforcing them. Examples of alleged breaches of decorum during 103rd – 105^th Congresses are provided to illustrate the use of these enforcement procedures, and the interpretation of decorum standards through the chair’s rulings, admonitions and responses to parliamentary inquiries.

At the beginning of a daily session of the House, the Speaker may appoint a majority party representative to preside in the Speaker’s absence as Speaker pro tempore. When the House resolves itself into the Committee of the Whole, the Speaker appoints a majority party representative to preside as chairman during consideration of a particular measure. In this report, the term “chair” refers to the presiding Representative in both the House and the Committee of the Whole. Though this report focuses on House floor debate, the House’s rules and precedents for decorum in debate generally apply as well in committees and subcommittees.

Internet: <http://www.house.gov/rules/98-572.pdf> (with adaptations).

Congress has always considered (A) to norms of behavior such as courtesy and reciprocity to be critical to collective policymaking. These forms of behavior, which in recent years have come to be referred to as “comity”, have been understood to (B) “both standards of behavior for members and the mutual respect of the two chambers for each others’ prerogatives”. During debate in the House, comity is to be preserved through the establishment, observance, and the enforcement of standards of decorum. These standards are (C) in House rules, related sections of Jefferson’s Manual, the House’s precedents, and “announced policies” of the Speaker. The rules of the House also provide the chair and individual members with a range of mechanisms for enforcing decorum in floor debate. This report examines the standards governing decorum in House debate and discusses the different procedures available for enforcing them. Examples of alleged breaches of decorum during 103rd – 105^th Congresses are provided to illustrate the use of these enforcement procedures, and the interpretation of decorum standards through the chair’s rulings, admonitions and responses to parliamentary inquiries.

At the beginning of a daily session of the House, the Speaker may appoint a majority party representative to preside in the Speaker’s absence as Speaker pro tempore. When the House resolves itself into the Committee of the Whole, the Speaker appoints a majority party representative to preside as chairman during consideration of a particular measure. In this report, the term “chair” refers to the presiding Representative in both the House and the Committee of the Whole. Though this report focuses on House floor debate, the House’s rules and precedents for decorum in debate generally apply as well in committees and subcommittees.

Internet: <http://www.house.gov/rules/98-572.pdf> (with adaptations).