[House Rules Manual -- House Document No. 104-272]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office Online Database]
[Page 193]
[DOCID:hrmanual-31]                         
 
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                    sec. xxv.--bills, second reading.

  The <<NOTE: Sec. 400. Obsolete parliamentary law as to second 
reading.>> second reading must regularly be on another day. Hakew., 143. 
It is done by the Clerk at the table, who then hands it to the Speaker. 
The Speaker, rising, states to the House the title of the bill; that 
this is the second time of reading it; and that the question will be, 
whether it shall be committed, or engrossed and read a third time? But 
if the bill came from the other House, as it always comes engrossed, he 
states that the question will be, whether it shall be read a third time? 
and before he has so reported the state of the bill, no one is to speak 
to it. Hakew., 143, 146.
  In the Senate of the United States, the President reports the title of 
the bill; that this is the second time of reading it; that it is now to 
be considered as in a Committee of the Whole; and the question will be, 
whether it shall be read a third time? or that it may be referred to a 
special committee?

  The provisions of this paragraph are to a large extent obsolete so far 
as the House of Representatives is concerned, the practice under clause 
1 of rule XXI now governing.