Move the Previous Question

• Autocraddick

For two days, state Rep. Steve Wolens (D-Dallas) had been throwing himself against the ramparts of the House leadership. Wolens--who did not run for reelection in 2004 after 24 years as a state representative--is generally considered one of the smarter members in the chamber. A lawyer by trade, he is known as an incisive debater who can quickly and ruthlessly pick apart a bill. Wolens appears to revel in dissecting and trying to solve the most complex issues that legislators face. But in Wolens' last outing as a representative, Speaker Tom Craddick (R-Midland) would not allow him to be heard. Throughout the two days the bill was discussed, what Wolens repeatedly demanded was simply more time. "Do not torture the process or make this a sham," Wolens begged Craddick. "This institution can...

...Craddick decided to end debate and move for a vote on the plan. To force the House to take... maneuver known as "calling the previous question." From 1993 to 2003, former Speaker Pete ...

• Texas Observer, The
• July 30, 2009

• Partly Sunny ; Democrats Cast Dark Clouds with; 'Sunshine' Rule

As regular readers of this column know, I'm a disciple of parliamentary procedure. Understanding the power of a "motion to recommit" or when to "move the previous question" is a strange but safe personal indulgence of mine. My baseball-fan wife can tell you how many games the Washington Nationals won at home versus on the road; I'm better prepared to recount the number of "closed" versus "open" rules in the House of Representatives this year. But my fascination with procedure is grounded in a deeper principle. After watching and studying lawmaking for 25 years, it's clear process dictates policy. Others agree. Congressional scholar Walter J. Oleszek, in his book "Congressional Procedures and the Policy Process," recounts the adage of House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John Din...

• The Washington Times
• May 24, 2007

• Arlington Central School Dist. Bd. of Ed. v. Murphy, 548 U. S. (2006)

...Pp. 3-12. . (a) The resolution of this question is guided by the fact that Congress enacted the ID... who spoke on the floor had previously signed his name to the Conference Report-a Repor...Mr. WEICKER. Mr. President, I move adoption of the conference report. . The PRESIDING...

• U.S. Supreme Court

• Missouri's Statehouse Is Led by a Fractured Gop

JEFFERSON CITY -- When Missouri lawmakers convened in January 2011, Republicans had their biggest advantage in more than 80 years. Photo by Don Shrubshell

... off debate using what is known as the "previous question." It is the parliamentary step of asking ...'t have the votes unless we were willing to move the previous question. They assessed the situation...

• Columbia Daily Tribune
• May 28, 2012

• Rules of Procedure,

... to place before the Commission again the question on which the vote to reconsider was taken in the e... over takes precedence over any motion to move the previous question. (f) A motion to postpone co...

• FR, January 30, 2008
• Notices
• Federal Election Commission

• Rep. Robert C. Scott Holds a Markup of Pending Business

... notes the lack of a reporting quorum, and moves the previous question on the bill. All in favor of...

• Political Transcript Wire
• August 26, 2009

• Personal Ties Matter in Mississippi Politics

Mississippi is still a small enough state that personal connections matter greatly in politics, and that's evident when ex- lawmakers visit the Capitol. Members of the House and Senate put aside partisan differences to cheer their former colleagues, often saving the loudest applause - and the occasional waving of tiny American flags - for those who've moved on to other government jobs.

... about feeling that he should "move the previous question" - part of the parliamentary jargon lawma...

• The Commercial Appeal (2007-Current)
• March 01, 2011

• Full Text Remarks of the 2008 Republican National Convention's Opening Day Now Available

To: POLITICAL EDITORS Contact: Joanna Burgos, 2008 Republican National Convention, +1- 651-467-2728

... our modern practice and precedent during previous conventions as is the use of certificates for the ... Chairman, it is my privilege at this time to move that the Temporary Roll of Delegates and Alternate... of the motion and move the previous question. ALEC POITEVINT:. Mr. Chairman, I offer the follow...

• U.S. Newswire
• September 02, 2008

• U.S. Representative Henry J. Hyde (R-Il) Holds a Markup of H.Res. 505, Requesting the President of the United States and Directing the Secretary of State to Provide to the House of Representatives Certain Documents in Their Possession Relating to the White House Iraq Group

... House Iraq Group, for purposes of markup and move its adverse recommendation to the House. . Withou... This second phase will focus on the question raised by H.Res. 505, the White House's presentati... And that's what the previous administration as well as the Bush administration ...

• Political Transcript Wire
• August 05, 2009

• When even the 'dollar value meal' costs too much: food insecurity and long term dependence on food pantry assistance.

... such as food stamps fill this need? What moves a person from short-term need to long-term depende... in North Carolina to answer these questions. This study contributes to a better understanding ...-profit food assistance programs than previously thought. Some suggest, such as Jensen (2002), that...

• Public Administration Quarterly
• Vol. 35 Nbr. 1, March 2011