Robert's Parliamentary Practice/Chapter 11
CHAPTER XI.
MOTIONS TO DEFER ACTION; MOTIONS AFFECTING THE LIMITS OF DEBATE.
Motions to Defer Action:
Postpone to a Certain Time.
Lay on the Table.
Motions affecting the Limits of Debate:
Limit or Extend Limits of Debate.
Previous Question.
Motions to Defer Action.
Postpone to a Certain Time or Postpone Definitely. If it is desired to defer action upon a question to a particular time, or until after a certain event, the proper motion to make is to "postpone the question" to that time or until after that event. Debate of this motion must be limited to the propriety of the postponement. It can be amended by altering the time, and debate on this amendment must be confined to the suitability of the proposed time. The time specified must not be beyond that session of the assembly unless it is the next session, in which case the postponed question comes up then with the unfinished business. If it is desired to postpone the question to some time between the present and the next regular session, the assembly must first vote that when it adjourns it adjourns to meet at the desired time, and then a motion is in order to postpone the question to that adjourned meeting. When the unqualified expression "postpone" is used, it always refers to this motion, never to the motion to "postpone indefinitely."
When the time arrives to which the question was postponed, or as soon thereafter as unfinished business is in order and no question is pending, the chairman announces the postponed question in a form similar to this: "The resolution, 'Resolved,' etc. [reading it] was postponed at the last meeting to this hour. The question is on adopting the resolution," etc.
If it is desired to consider a question before the time to which it has been postponed, it can be done by adopting by a two-thirds vote a motion "to suspend the rules and take up the resolution, 'Resolved' " etc.
Lay 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, and to retain the privilege of resuming its consideration by a majority vote at any time when no other question is pending. This may be done by adopting the motion to "lay the question on the table." This motion cannot be qualified in any way, amended, or debated. It is the highest in rank of all the subsidiary motions. Since a question laid on the table can be taken up at any time by a majority vote at the same session, or at the next session in an assembly with regular meetings as often as quarterly, it is not safe to leave a question on the table for any length of time. At any meeting the temporary majority may "take the question from the table" and adopt or reject it in opposition to the wishes of a majority of the society. In an ordinary society having regular meetings as often as quarterly the question has ceased to exist if it is not taken from the table before the end of the next session. This motion should not be used to kill a measure because its privilege of being adopted by a majority without debate is given it on the ground that it does not kill the measure, but that the matter laid on the table comes up later for debate before final action is taken upon it.
Whenever it is desired to renew the consideration of the question that has been laid on the table, the motion is made to "take from the table the resolution [or question] relating to ——— [mentioning the subject]," as explained more fully, page 78.
Motions Affecting the Limits of Debate.
While, as a general rule, free debate on the pending question is allowed, to prevent a minority from making an improper use of this privilege, it is necessary to allow the assembly by a two-thirds vote to limit the debate or to close it immediately. The motions to accomplish these objects may be applied to any debatable motion, whatever its rank. They cannot be debated. An order limiting or closing debate is exhausted, or dead, and is no longer in force, at the close of the session at which it was adopted. [See Previous Question, page 74.] If no questions are specified in the order it applies to the immediately pending question and secondary motions subsequently made. These motions to limit or close debate may be applied to an entire series of pending questions or to any part of the series that is continuous beginning with the first question. The assembly may by a two-thirds vote also extend the limits of debate either for a speech of a single member, or for all members during the entire debate on a specified question, or make any other desired extension of the limits of debate.
Limit or Extend the Limits of Debate. Under what may now be called common parliamentary law, each member is limited to two speeches of ten minutes each during the same day on the same question. Whenever a question is pending upon which many members wish to speak and the time is limited, the assembly should adopt an order reducing these limits to fit their needs. A motion should be made in one of the following forms: "I move that members be allowed only one speech each of two minutes' length on the pending amendment"; "I move that until the pending questions are disposed of debate be limited to two minute speeches"; "I move that debate upon the pending questions and any interrupting secondary motions be limited to one speech of three minutes' length from each member on any question, and that all questions pending at 4 o'clock shall then be put to the assembly"; or "I move that Mr. A's time be extended 5 minutes." When an order is adopted limiting debate, it applies equally to any new amendment or other interrupting motion as long as the order is in force. Therefore it is unnecessary to specify the motions upon which debate is to be limited if nothing is pending except a main motion. An order extending the limits of the debate applies only to the question or speech specified. These motions may be amended by altering the number or length of speeches or the hour when the debate shall close, or the length of the extension. They, like the previous question, are in force only during the session at which they were adopted. They are exhausted under the same conditions as the previous question.
Previous Question. The previous question is the name given to the motion to stop debate and further motions to amend, and to put the question immediately to the assembly. If it is desired to close debate on the immediately pending question only, then the form is simply, "I move the previous question." If it is desired to close debate on more than the immediately pending question, which may be a whole series, it is necessary to specify thus: "I move the previous question on the motion to postpone and its amendments," or "I move [or demand] the previous question on all pending questions." The question is stated thus: "The previous question is moved [or demanded] on the resolution [or on all pending questions]. As many as are in favor of ordering the previous question [or, of now putting the question] on [repeat the motion] will rise," etc. As this motion requires a two-thirds vote for its adoption it is generally best to take a rising vote.
The previous question cannot be debated or amended. It is exhausted at the close of the session, or when all the questions upon which it was ordered have been voted on, or the effect of those that have been voted on has been to commit the main motion, or to postpone it definitely or indefinitely. If any of the questions are reconsidered, or come back to the assembly in any other way than by being taken from the table, they are divested of the previous question and are open to debate and amendment. Before the exhaustion of the previous question, all pending questions that have not been voted on may be laid on the table. If those questions are taken from the table during the same session they are still under the previous question and cannot be debated or amended or have any other subsidiary motion applied to them. If they are not taken from the table until the next session they are open to debate, amendment, etc. [See R. O. R., pages 112-116.]
Practice Work.
(1) Name in order of rank two motions to defer action.
(2) How do they differ as to being qualified, debated, amended ?
(3) How is the motion made to consider a postponed question before the time named in the postponement? What vote is required? What vote can take a question from the table?
(4) What two motions outrank Postpone to a Certain Time, but are outranked by Lay on the Table?
(5) Why is it best to allow debate to be limited? By what vote is it limited? Why is it best at some times to allow the debate limits to be extended?
(6) When no limit is made by the assembly, what is commonly accepted as the rule governing the time one may debate ?
(7) State the forms illustrated for limiting debate and explain the different conditions to which they may be applicable?
(8) What does Previous Question mean? To what does it apply when the form is simply "I move the previous question?" How may it be qualified?
(9) Give form for chairman in stating the previous question on all pending questions. Why is a viva voce vote not generally used in taking the vote on the previous question?
(10) Write the form to illustrate what a member says when he moves the previous question on the amendment only, and the statement by the chair which should follow.