Robert's Rules of Order — 11 - Part 2, Article XI-XII, Sec 54-59

Art.

XI.

Introduction of Business.

54. Any member wishing to bring business before the assembly, should, without it is very simple, write down in the form of a motion, what he would like to have the assembly adopt, thus: Resolved, That the thanks of this convention be tendered to the citizens of this community for their hearty welcome and generous hospitality.

When there is no other business before the assembly, he rises and addresses the chairman by his title, thus: “Mr. Chairman,” who immediately recognizes him by announcing his name.

* [If the chairman has any special title, as President, for instance, he should be addressed by it, thus: “Mr. President.

” Sometimes the chairman recognizes the speaker by merely bowing to him, but the proper course is to announce his name.

] He, then having the floor, says that he “moves the adoption of the following resolution,” which he reads and hands to the chairman.

** [Or, when he is recognized by the chair, he may say that he wishes to offer the following resolutions, which he reads and then moves their adoption.

] Some one else seconds the motion, and the chairman says, “It has been moved and seconded that the following resolution be adopted,” when he reads the resolution; or he may read the resolution and then state the question thus: “The question is on the adoption of the resolution just read.

” The merits of the resolution are then open to discussion, but before any member can discuss the question or make any motion, he must first obtain the floor as just described.

After the chairman states the question, if no one rises to speak, or when he thinks the debate closed, he asks, “Are you ready for the question?

” If no one then rises, he puts the question in a form similar to the following: “The question is on the adoption of the resolution which you have heard; as many as are in favor of its adoption will say aye.

” When the ayes have voted, he says, “As many as are of a contrary opinion will say no. ”* [There are many other ways of putting a question; see § 67, and Rules of Order, § 38. Other illustrations of the ordinary practice in introducing business will be seen in §§ 46-48. ] He then announces the result, stating that the motion is carried, or lost, as the case may be, in the following form: “The motion is carried—the resolution is adopted;” or, “The ayes have it—the resolution is adopted.

” A majority of the votes cast is sufficient for the adoption of any motion, excepting those mentioned in § 68. Art.

XII.

Motions.

55. Motions Classified According to their Object.

Instead of immediately adopting or rejecting a resolution as originally submitted, it may be desirable to dispose of it in some other way, and for this purpose various motions have come into use, which can be made while a resolution is being considered, and for the time being, supersede it.

No one can make any of these motions while another member has the floor, excepting as shown in § 64, which see for the circumstances under which each motion can be made.

The following list comprises most of these motions, arranged in eight classes, according to the object for which each motion is used.

[The names of the motions are printed in Italics; each class is treated separately, as shown by the references.

] Motions Classified.

(1) To Amend or Modify ………………………………… [§ 56] (a) Amend.

(b) Commit.

(2) To Defer action …………………………………… [§ 57] (a) Postpone to a certain time.

(b) Lie on the Table.

(3) To Suppress Debate ………………………………… [§ 58] (a) Previous Question.

(b) An Order limiting or closing Debate.

(4) To Suppress the question …………………………… [§ 59] (a) Objection to its Consideration.

(b) Postpone Indefinitely.

(c) Lie on the Table.

(5) To Consider a question the second time ……………….

[§ 60] (a) Reconsider.

(6) Order and Rules …………………………………… [§ 61] (a) Orders of the day.

(b) Special Orders.

(c) Suspension of the Rules.

(d) Questions of Order.

(e) Appeal.

(7) Miscellaneous ……………………………………..

[§ 62] (a) Reading of Papers.

(b) Withdrawal of a Motion.

(c) Questions of Privilege.

(8) To close a meeting ………………………………… [§ 63] (a) Fix the time to which to Adjourn.

(b) Adjourn.

56. To Amend or Modify.

(a) Amend.

If it is desired to modify the question in any way, the proper motion to make is to “amend,” either by “adding” words, or by “striking out” words; or by “striking out certain words and inserting others;” or by “substituting” a different motion on the same subject for the one before the assembly; or by “dividing the question” into two or more questions, as the mover specifies, so as to get a separate vote on any particular point or points.

Sometimes the enemies of a measure seek to amend it in such a way as to divide its friends, and thus defeat it.

When the amendment has been moved and seconded, the chairman should always state the question distinctly, so that every one may know exactly what is before them, reading first the paragraph which it is proposed to amend; then the words to be struck out, if there are any; next, the words to be inserted, if any; and finally, the paragraph as it will stand if the amendment is adopted.

He then states that the question is on the adoption of the amendment, which is open to debate, the remarks being confined to the merits of the amendment, only going into the main question so far as is necessary in order to ascertain the propriety of adopting the amendment.

This amendment can be amended, but an “amendment of an amendment” cannot be amended.

None of the undebatable motions mentioned in § 66, except to fix the time to which to adjourn, can be amended, nor can the motion to postpone indefinitely.

(b) Commit.

If the original question is not well digested, or needs more amendment than can well be made in the assembly, it is usual to move “to refer it to a committee.

” This motion can be made while an amendment is pending, and it opens the whole merits of the question to debate.

This motion can be amended by specifying the number of the committee, or how they shall be appointed, or when they shall report, or by giving them any other instructions.

[See § 53 on committees, and § 46 (c) on their appointment.

] 57. To Defer Action.

(a) Postpone to a certain time.

If it is desired to defer action upon a question till a particular time, the proper motion to make, is to “postpone it to that time.

” This motion allows of but limited debate, which must be confined to the propriety of the postponement to that time; it can be amended by altering the time, and this amendment allows of the same debate.

The time specified must not be beyond that session [§ 70] of the assembly, except it be the next session, in which case it comes up with the unfinished business at the next session.

This motion can be made when a motion to amend, or to commit or to postpone indefinitely, is pending.

(b) Lie on the table.

Instead of postponing a question to a particular time, it may be desired to lay it aside temporarily until some other question is disposed of, retaining the privilege of resuming its consideration at any time.

* [In Congress this motion is commonly used to defeat a measure, though it does not prevent a majority from taking it at any other time.

Some societies prohibit a question from being taken from the table, except by a two-thirds vote.

This rule deprives the society of the advantages of the motion to “lie on the table.

” because it would not be safe to lay a question aside temporarily, if one-third of the assembly were opposed to the measure, as that one-third could prevent its ever being taken from the table.

A

bare majority should not have the power, in ordinary societies, to adopt or reject a question, or prevent its consideration, without debate.

[See note at end of § 35, Rules of Order, on the principles involved in making questions undebatable.

] The only way to accomplish this, is to move that the question “lie on the table.

” This motion allowing of neither debate nor amendment, the chairman immediately puts the question; if carried, the whole matter is laid aside until the assembly vote to “take it from the table” (which latter motion is undebatable and possesses no privilege).

Sometimes this motion is used to suppress a measure, as shown in § 59 (c).

58. To Suppress Debate.

(a) Previous Question.

While as a general rule free debate is allowed upon every motion,* [Except an “objection to the consideration of the question” [§ 59 (a)].

See note to § 35, Rules of Order, for a full discussion of this subject of debate.

] which, if adopted, has the effect of adopting the original question or removing it from before the assembly for the session,—yet, to prevent a minority from making an improper use of this privilege, it is necessary to have methods by which debate can be closed, and final action at once be taken upon a question.

To accomplish this, when any debatable question is before the assembly, it is only necessary for some one to obtain the floor and “call for the previous question;” this call being seconded, the chairman, as it allows of no debate, instantly puts the question, thus: “Shall the main question be now put?

” If this is carried by a two-thirds vote [§ 68], all debate instantly ceases, excepting that the member who offered the original resolution, or reported it from a committee, is, as in all other cases, entitled to the floor to close the debate; after which, the chairman immediately puts the questions to the assembly, first, on the motion to commit, if it is pending; if this is carried, of course the subject goes to the committee; if, however, it fails, the vote is next taken on amendments, and finally on the resolution as amended.

If a motion to postpone, either definitely or indefinitely, or a motion to reconsider, or an appeal is pending, the previous question is exhausted by the vote on the postponement, reconsideration or appeal, and does not cut off debate upon any other motions that may be pending.

If the call for the previous question fails, that is, the debate is not cut off, the debate continues the same as if this motion had not been made.

The previous question can be called for simply on an amendment, and after the amendment has been acted upon, the main question is again open to debate.

(b) An order limiting or closing debate.

Sometimes, instead of cutting off debate entirely by ordering the previous question, it is desirable to allow of but very limited debate.

In this case, a motion is made to limit the time allowed each speaker or the number of speeches on each side, or to appoint a time at which debate shall close and the question be put.

The motion may be made to limit debate on an amendment, in which case the main question would afterwards be open to debate and amendment; or it may be made simply on an amendment to an amendment.

In ordinary societies, where harmony is so important, a two-thirds vote should be required for the adoption of any of the above motions to cut off or limit debate.

* [In the House of Representatives, these motions require only a majority vote for their adoption.

In the Senate, to the contrary, not even two-thirds of the members can force a measure to its passage without allowing debate, the Senate rules not recognizing the above motions.

59. To Suppress the Question.

(a) Objection to the consideration of a question.

Sometimes a resolution is introduced that the assembly do not wish to consider at all, because it is profitless, or irrelevant to the objects of the assembly, or for other reasons.

The proper course to pursue in such case, is for some one, as soon as it is introduced, to “object to the consideration of the question.

” This objection not requiring a second, the chairman immediately puts the question, “Will the assembly consider this question?

” If decided in the negative by a two-thirds vote, the question is immediately dismissed, and cannot be again introduced during that session.

This objection must be made when the question is first introduced, before it has been debated, and it can be made when another member has the floor.

(b) Postpone indefinitely.

After the question has been debated, the proper motion to use in order to suppress the question for the session, is to postpone indefinitely.

It cannot be made while any motion except the original or main question is pending, but it can be made after an amendment has been acted upon, and the main question, as amended, is before the assembly.

It opens the merits of the main question to debate to as great an extent as if the main question were before the assembly.

On account of these two facts, in assemblies with short sessions it is not very useful, as the same result can usually be more easily attained by the next motion.

(c) Lie on the table.

If there is no possibility during the remainder of the session of obtaining a majority vote for taking up the question, then the quickest way of suppressing it is to move “that the question lie on the table;” which, allowing of no debate, enables the majority to instantly lay the question on the table, from which it cannot be taken without their consent.

From its high rank [§ 64] and undebatable character, this motion is very commonly used to suppress a question, but, as shown in § 57 (b), its effect is merely to lay the question aside till the assembly choose to consider it, and it only suppresses the question so long as there is a majority opposed to its consideration.