order, the presiding officer can take the chair, and declare the committee dissolved. The quorum of the committee of the whole is the same as that of the assembly [§ 43]. If the committee finds itself without a quorum, it can only rise and report the fact to the assembly, which in such a case would have to adjourn.
33. Informal Consideration of a Question (or acting as if in committee of the whole).
It has become customary in many assemblies, instead of going into committee of the whole, to consider the question “informally,” and afterwards to act “formally.” In a small assembly there is no objection to this.[1] While acting informally upon any resolutions, the assembly can only amend and adopt them, and without further motion the Chairman announces that “the assembly, acting informally, [or as in committee of the whole,] has had such subject under consideration, and has
- ↑ In the U. S. Senate all bills, joint resolutions and treaties, upon their second reading are considered “as if the Senate were in committee of the whole,” which is equivalent to considering them informally. [U. S. Senate Rules, 28 and 38.] In large assemblies it is better to follow the practice of the House of Representatives, and go into committee of the whole.
