House Rule XIX - Motions following the amendment stage

Changes to rule in the 111th Congress (2009-2010)
House Rules Committee Chair Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) released this summary of the rule changes at the beginning of the 111th Congress:

" POSTPONEMENT AUTHORITY: This provision adds a new paragraph (c) to clause 1 of rule XIX to give permanent authority to the Chair to postpone further consideration of legislation prior to final passage when the previous question is operating to adoption or passage of a measure pursuant to a special order of business. This codifies a practice that has become routine during the 110th Congress.  "  INSTRUCTIONS IN THE MOTION TO RECOMMIT: This provision amends clause 2(b) of rule XIX to provide that a motion to recommit a bill or joint resolution may include instructions only in the form of a direction to report a textual amendment or amendments back to the House forthwith. The provision makes no change to the straight motion to recommit. 

Previous question
1. (a) There shall be a motion for the previous question, which, being ordered, shall have the effect of cutting off all debate and bringing the House to a direct vote on the immediate question or questions on which it has been ordered. Whenever the previous question has been ordered on an otherwise debatable question on which there has been no debate, it shall be in order to debate that question for 40 minutes, equally divided and controlled by a proponent of the question and an opponent. The previous question may be moved and ordered on a single question, on a series of questions allowable under the rules, or on an amendment or amendments, or may embrace all authorized motions or amendments and include the bill or resolution to its passage, adoption, or rejection.
 * (b) Incidental questions of order arising during the pendency of a motion for the previous question shall be decided, whether on appeal or otherwise, without debate.
 * (c) Notwithstanding  paragraph   (a),  when   the   previous   question   is   operating to adoption or passage of a measure pursuant to a special order of business,  the  Chair  may  postpone  further  consideration  of  such  measure   in  the  House  to  such  time  as  may  be  designated by the Speaker.

Recommit
2.
 * (a) After the previous question has been ordered on passage or adoption of a measure, or pending a motion to that end, it shall be in order to move that the House recommit (or commit, as the case may be) the measure, with or without instructions, to a standing or select committee. For such a motion to recommit, the Speaker shall give preference in recognition to a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner who is opposed to the measure.
 * (b)
 * (1) Except  as   provided   in   para-  graph  (c),  a  motion  that  the  House  re-  commit  a  bill  or  joint  resolution  on which  the  previous  question  has  been  ordered  to  passage  shall  be  debatable  for 10 minutes equally divided between  the proponent and an opponent.
 * (2) A  motion  to  recommit  a  bill  or  joint  resolution  may  include  instructions only in the form of a direction to  report  an  amendment  or  amendments  back to the House forthwith.
 * (c) On demand of the floor manager for the majority, it shall be in order to debate the motion for one hour equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent.

Reconsideration
3. When a motion has been carried or lost, it shall be in order on the same or succeeding day for a Member on the prevailing side of the question to enter a motion for the reconsideration thereof. The entry of such a motion shall take precedence over all other questions except the consideration of a conference report or a motion to adjourn, and may not be withdrawn after such succeeding day without the consent of the House. Once entered, a motion may be called up for consideration by any Member. During the last six days of a session of Congress, such a motion shall be disposed of when entered. 4. A bill, petition, memorial, or resolution referred to a committee, or reported therefrom for printing and re-commitment, may not be brought back to the House on a motion to reconsider.

Changes to rule in the 110th Congress
There were no changes to the rule in the 110th Congress.

Previous question
1. (a) There shall be a motion for the previous question, which, being ordered, shall have the effect of cutting off all debate and bringing the House to a direct vote on the immediate question or questions on which it has been ordered. Whenever the previous question has been ordered on an otherwise debatable question on which there has been no debate, it shall be in order to debate that question for 40 minutes, equally divided and controlled by a proponent of the question and an opponent. The previous question may be moved and ordered on a single question, on a series of questions allowable under the rules, or on an amendment or amendments, or may embrace all authorized motions or amendments and include the bill or resolution to its passage, adoption, or rejection.
 * (b) Incidental questions of order arising during the pendency of a motion for the previous question shall be decided, whether on appeal or otherwise, without debate.

Recommit
2. (a) After the previous question has been ordered on passage or adoption of a measure, or pending a motion to that end, it shall be in order to move that the House recommit (or commit, as the case may be) the measure, with or without instructions, to a standing or select committee. For such a motion to recommit, the Speaker shall give preference in recognition to a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner who is opposed to the measure.
 * (b) Except as provided in paragraph (c), if a motion that the House recommit a bill or joint resolution on which the previous question has been ordered to passage includes instructions, it shall be debatable for 10 minutes equally divided between the proponent and an opponent.
 * (c) On demand of the floor manager for the majority, it shall be in order to debate the motion for one hour equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent.

Reconsideration
3. When a motion has been carried or lost, it shall be in order on the same or succeeding day for a Member on the prevailing side of the question to enter a motion for the reconsideration thereof. The entry of such a motion shall take precedence over all other questions except the consideration of a conference report or a motion to adjourn, and may not be withdrawn after such succeeding day without the consent of the House. Once entered, a motion may be called up for consideration by any Member. During the last six days of a session of Congress, such a motion shall be disposed of when entered. 4. A bill, petition, memorial, or resolution referred to a committee, or reported therefrom for printing and re-commitment, may not be brought back to the House on a motion to reconsider.

Previous question
1. (a) There shall be a motion for the previous question, which, being ordered, shall have the effect of cutting off all debate and bringing the House to a direct vote on the immediate question or questions on which it has been ordered. Whenever the previous question has been ordered on an otherwise debatable question on which there has been no debate, it shall be in order to debate that question for 40 minutes, equally divided and controlled by a proponent of the question and an opponent. The previous question may be moved and ordered on a single question, on a series of questions allowable under the rules, or on an amendment or amendments, or may embrace all authorized motions or amendments and include the bill or resolution to its passage, adoption, or rejection.


 * (b) Incidental questions of order arising during the pendency of a motion for the previous question shall be decided, whether on appeal or otherwise, without debate.

Recommit
2. (a) After the previous question has been ordered on passage or adoption of a measure, or pending a motion to that end, it shall be in order to move that the House recommit (or commit, as the case may be) the measure, with or without instructions, to a standing or select committee. For such a motion to recommit, the Speaker shall give preference in recognition to a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner who is opposed to the measure.


 * (b) Except as provided in paragraph (c), if a motion that the House recommit a bill or joint resolution on which the previous question has been ordered to passage includes instructions, it shall be debatable for 10 minutes equally divided between the proponent and an opponent.


 * (c) On demand of the floor manager for the majority, it shall be in order to debate the motion for one hour equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent.

Reconsideration
3. When a motion has been carried or lost, it shall be in order on the same or succeeding day for a Member on the prevailing side of the question to enter a motion for the reconsideration thereof. The entry of such a motion shall take precedence over all other questions except the consideration of a conference report or a motion to adjourn, and may not be withdrawn after such succeeding day without the consent of the House. Once entered, a motion may be called up for consideration by any Member. During the last six days of a session of Congress, such a motion shall be disposed of when entered.

4. A bill, petition, memorial, or resolution referred to a committee, or reported therefrom for printing and recommitment, may not be brought back to the House on a motion to reconsider.

Resources

 * Rules of the 109th House of Representatives
 * "Rule XIX," U.S. House of Representatives - Committee on Rules, 2005.