Number: RS22015
Title: Availability of Legislative Measures in the House of Representatives (The Three-Day Rule)
Authors: Elizabeth Rybicki, Government and Finance Division 
Abstract: House rules govern the length of time legislative proposals must be available to Members prior to being considered on the floor. For measures reported from committee, the committee report must have been available for three days. Conference reports must also have been available for three days, and special rules for considering measures for one day. The House, however, also has several means by which it can choose to waive these availability requirements and call up, debate, and vote on a measure in a single calendar day, even if the text of the measure was not made available prior to consideration. These include (1) special rules that waive the three-day requirement; (2) special rules that waive the one-day requirement for other special rules; (3) so-called martial law resolutions that may waive any availability requirements at the end of a session; and (4) convening a second legislative day on the same calendar day. Waiving availability requirements allows the House to act quickly when necessary, such as near the end of a session. Sometimes Members oppose waiving availability requirements.
Pages: 5
Date: December 8, 2006