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Unit 10
1. Debate in the House and Senate is the culmination of months (and sometimes years) of effort by proponents to shepherd the bill through the previous stages and to line up support. The actual debate can be disappointing; most of the members' minds are already made up. Often few members are on the floor to hear the debate, since those taking part are talking more to their constituents and providing their rationale of legislative intent.
2. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: Given its larger size, debate in the House is more structured. Most debate occurs in the Committee of the Whole, which allows any 100 members to comprise a quorum (rather than the 218 members needed for the full House). The originating committee selects a floor manager for each side of the debate who controls the time allotted to each member desiring to speak. Once the allotted time for debate has expired, the Committee of the Whole votes on the legislation and reports back to the entire House.
3. SENATE: Senate size, rules, and tradition favor more flexible debating rules. Once a Senator is recognized by the presiding officer, he or she can talk as long as he or she wishes. Unlimitied debate is known as filibuster. It does not exist in the House. The possibility of filibuster gives each Senator a great deal of control over chamber business.
4. PRECEDENTS: Formal rules cannot anticipate all situations. The formal rules of Congress outlined in the Constitution, Jefferson's Manual (House only), the House Manual, and the Senate Manual are supplemented by a series of precedents based on past rulings of the chair. Each chamber has a parliamentarian who advises the presiding officer of rules and precedents.
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