This resolution instructs the House to consider H.Res. 997 immediately upon adoption of HR999, with no point of order blocking consideration. It creates a streamlined pathway for amendments and floor action on the underlying rules measure, removing several standard procedural hurdles.
Key mechanics include a substitute amendment from the ranking minority member of the Committee on Rules that, if submitted before the day of consideration, is deemed adopted if it is the last such amendment filed. The amended resolution is treated as read, and the previous question is ordered on the amended resolution with one hour of debate split between the majority and minority leaders or their designees.
The bill also removes certain procedural constraints under Rule XIX and Rule XX for this consideration, signaling a narrow, expedited process focused on H.Res. 997.
At a Glance
What It Does
HR999 requires immediate consideration of H.Res. 997 in the House once HR999 is adopted. It prescribes an expedited amendment path, treats the final substitute as adopted if filed by the ranking minority member, and limits floor debate to one hour.
Who It Affects
The measure directly affects the House floor process: all Members, the Committee on Rules, the ranking minority member of Rules, and the House leadership who manage proceedings and debate time.
Why It Matters
It institutionalizes a fast-track mechanism for a rules-related resolution, reducing delay and creating a predictable sequence for debate and voting. This could alter the balance of power on amendments and influence how quickly rule-related issues are resolved.
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What This Bill Actually Does
HR999 is a narrowly scoped, procedural resolution that changes how the House handles a companion rules measure, H.Res. 997. It orders that, immediately after HR999 is adopted, the House proceed to consider H.Res. 997 with a predefined, expedited process.
The amendment mechanism is unusually specific: a substitute amendment offered by the ranking minority member of the Rules Committee, if submitted before the day of consideration, is to be treated as adopted, provided it is the last such amendment filed. If more than one such amendment is submitted, only the last one will be considered adopted.
After amendment, the resolution is treated as read, and the previous question is ordered on the amended resolution with one hour of debate, split evenly between the majority and minority leaders or their designees.
The resolution also states that certain normal procedural constraints—specifically Clause 1(c) of Rule XIX and Clause 8 of Rule XX—shall not apply to the consideration of H.Res. 997. In short, HR999 creates a tightly controlled, quick path to move a rules-related resolution through the House, with a built-in mechanism for the ranking minority member to influence the outcome via a substitute amendment and a fixed, short debate window.
The Five Things You Need to Know
The bill requires immediate consideration of H.Res. 997 after its adoption, bypassing typical timeframes for floor action.
An amendment in the nature of a substitute submitted by the ranking minority member of the Committee on Rules before the day of consideration shall be deemed adopted if it is the last such amendment filed.
The amended H.Res. 997 is considered as read, streamlining the procedural posture before a vote.
A one-hour debate is ordered on the amended resolution, equally divided between the majority and minority leaders or their designees.
Clauses 1(c) of Rule XIX and Clause 8 of Rule XX do not apply to the consideration of H.Res. 997 under this measure.
Section-by-Section Breakdown
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Immediate consideration of H.Res. 997
This section mandates that, upon adoption of HR999, the House proceed to consider H.Res. 997 without the usual procedural delays. It sets the overall tempo for floor action and limits the ability to block consideration with points of order or protracted debates.
Rule exemptions and amendment mechanics
Section 2 specifies that an amendment in the nature of a substitute submitted by the ranking minority member of the Committee on Rules is, if it is the last such amendment submitted, to be treated as adopted. It also orders the amended resolution to be read and limits the debate to one hour, with time allocated between the two party leaderships or their designees, and excludes certain standard rule constraints from applying to this consideration.
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Explore Government in Codify Search →Who Benefits and Who Bears the Cost
Every bill creates winners and losers. Here's who stands to gain and who bears the cost.
Who Benefits
- Ranking minority member of the Committee on Rules gains leverage to push a substitute amendment that is treated as adopted, shaping the outcome of H.Res. 997.
- House floor leaders (majority and minority) receive a predictable, time-bound framework for advancing H.Res. 997 and managing debate.
- Rules Committee staff gain procedural clarity for expedited floor actions and amendment handling.
- House Members seeking expedited rule-related action benefit from a faster, more predictable process.
- The House as an institution gains a formalized path to address membership-responsive rules measures with limited procedural friction.
Who Bears the Cost
- Members who prefer longer debate or more extensive minority input may experience reduced deliberation time and limited amendment opportunities.
- The ranking minority party may face pressure to advance substitute amendments quickly and with limited procedural safeguards.
- Rules Committee staff and floor staff bear increased administrative demands to implement the expedited process and monitor compliance.
- The Clerk's office handles heightened scheduling and procedural tracking under a tightened timeline.
Key Issues
The Core Tension
The central tension is between accelerating floor action to improve responsiveness to the membership and preserving robust minority input and deliberation that often accompanies rule-related measures.
The bill creates a narrow, procedural pathway that emphasizes speed over extended deliberation. While it grants a powerful tool to the ranking minority member of the Rules Committee to influence the outcome via a substitute amendment, it also concentrates floor action within a tightly prescribed framework.
Potential tensions include whether expedited consideration undermines minority procedural protections and how this mechanism interacts with other rule-based safeguards on debate and amendment rights. Unresolved questions include how this will operate if multiple amendments are filed close to consideration and whether any court challenges could arise regarding the interpretation of “considered as adopted.”
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