[HOUSE PRACTICE, 104th Congress, 2d Session]
[A Guide to the Rules, Precedents and Procedures of the House]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access]
[DOCID:hp_txt-18]                         

[Page 431-432]

[[Page 431]]

 
                   DELEGATES AND RESIDENT COMMISSIONERS

  Sec. 1. In General
  Sec. 2. In the House
  Sec. 3. In Committees
  Sec. 4. In Committee of the Whole
        Research References
          1 Hinds Secs. 400-410
          6 Cannon Secs. 240-246
          2 Deschler Ch 7 Sec. 3
          Manual Sec. 740

  Sec. 1 . In General

                                 Generally

      The Delegates and Resident Commissioners are those statutory 
  officers who represent in the House the constituencies of territories 
  and properties owned or administered by the United States but not 
  admitted to statehood. Deschler Ch 7 Sec. 3. The Virgin Islands, Guam, 
  and American Samoa, as well as the District of Columbia, are 
  represented in the House by a Delegate, while Puerto Rico is 
  represented by a Resident Commissioner. Manual Sec. 740. The rights 
  and prerogatives of a Delegate in parliamentary matters are not 
  limited to legislation affecting his own territory. 6 Cannon Sec. 240.


  Sec. 2 . In the House

      The floor privileges of a Delegate or a Resident Commissioner in 
  the House include the right to debate (2 Hinds Sec. 1290), make 
  motions (2 Hinds Sec. 1291), and raise points of order (6 Cannon 
  Sec. 240); but he cannot vote in the House nor serve as its presiding 
  officer. See Manual Sec. 740. He may make any motion a Member may make 
  (2 Hinds Sec. 1292) including the motion to adjourn (97-1, Jan. 9, 
  1981, p 248), but not the motion to reconsider (2 Hinds Sec. 1292), 
  which is itself dependent on the right to vote. He may make reports 
  for committees (Manual Sec. 740) and may object to the consideration 
  of a bill (6 Cannon Sec. 241; Deschler Ch 7 Sec. 3.7). Impeachment 
  proceedings have been moved by a Delegate. 2 Hinds Sec. 1303.

[[Page 432]]

  Sec. 3 . In Committees

      The House rules now extend to Delegates and the Resident 
  Commissioner all the powers in committee held by constitutional 
  Members of the House. They are elected to serve on standing committees 
  in the same manner as Members of the House and possess in such 
  committees the same powers and privileges as the other Members. Rule 
  XII. Manual Sec. 740. They have the right to vote in committees on 
  which they serve. Seniority accrual rights on committees have also 
  been extended to the Delegates and Resident Commissioner. Deschler Ch 
  7 Sec. 3.11. They may be appointed by the Speaker to any conference 
  committee. The Speaker also now has the authority to appoint them to 
  any select committee (Manual Sec. 701g), an appointment that 
  previously required the permission of the House (94-2, Sept. 21, 1976, 
  p 31673).


  Sec. 4 . In Committee of the Whole

      Under a rule adopted in 1993, when the House was sitting in 
  Committee of the Whole, the Delegates and Resident Commissioner had 
  the same powers and privileges as Members. In the same year, the 
  Speaker was given authority to appoint a Delegate or Resident 
  Commissioner as Chairman of the Committee of the Whole. These 
  provisions were stricken from the rules as adopted in January 1995. 
  104-1, H. Res. 6.