1. To Adjourn.
   A motion to adjourn to a day certain fixes the next time of meeting of the House. Under the Constitution, both Houses must agree to a concurrent resolution for either House to adjourn for more than three days. A session of Congress is not ended by adjournment to a day certain. A motion to adjourn sine die adjourns the House without fixing a day for reconvening; literally “adjournment without a day.” This is usually used to connote the final adjournment of a session of Congress. A session can continue until noon, January 3, of the following year, when, under the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, it automatically terminates. A motion to adjourn is in order only in the House.

   A motion to rise is a hybrid of the motion to adjourn but is in order only in the Committee of the Whole during the amendment stage. Adoption of the motion to rise has the effect of terminating or suspending debate on a pending matter in the Committee of the Whole.

2. To Lay on the Table.
   A motion to "lay on the table," is in order only in the House. This motion prevents the further consideration of a measure, thus killing the measure, amendment or motion. This motion is not used to temporarily lay aside a measure but to adversely dispose of a pending proposition. A motion to table an amendment takes with it the underlying proposition.

3. For the Previous Question.
   A motion, which is offered to end debate and preclude further amendments from being offered. The motion for the previous question is in order in the House. In effect it asks, “are we ready to vote on the issue before us?”. If the previous question is ordered in the House, all debate ends and usually the House immediately votes on the pending bill or amendment.

4. To Postpone to a Day Certain.
   A motion to postpone to a day certain is made after the reading of the pending proposition but before the previous question has been ordered on that proposition. This motion is in order in the House and in the Committee of the Whole. When the House adopts such a motion, consideration of the measure is suspended until the day specified in the motion.

5. To Refer.
   A motion to refer is in order only in the House. Adoption of the motion assigns a measure to a committee for consideration. In contrast, re-referral is an assignment by unanimous consent of a measure to a committee different from the committee to which the measure was initially referred. A motion to refer is used to correct erroneous referrals.

6. To Recommit.
   A motion to recommit is in order in the House after the third reading of a bill, but before the Speaker orders the vote on final passage of the bill. Such a motion may contain instructions to the originating committee to amend the bill in some manner, hold hearings or achieve some other desired end. This is the last opportunity for the opponents of a measure to amend it. The motion’s only constraints are that it must comply with the applicable rules of the House such as germaneness and the Budget Act. A motion to recommit with instructions is debatable for 10 minutes, equally divided but not controlled (which means neither side may yield or reserve time) between the proponent and the opponent. If a motion to recommit is without instructions, the adoption of the motion has the practical impact of killing the bill without a final vote on its passage. The motion to recommit is usually reserved for the Minority Party.

7. To Amend.
   A motion to amend proposes to alter the text of a bill or another amendment. Members may also offer pro-forma amendments in the Committee of the Whole. A motion to amend is in order in the Committee of the Whole and in the House. An amendment is usually voted on in the same manner as a bill.

8. To Postpone Indefinitely.
   A motion to postpone indefinitely is in order in the House and in the Committee of the Whole. The adoption of this motion constitutes a final adverse disposition of that measure.

The Motion to Reconsider Another motion available in the House, but not in the Committee of the Whole, is the motion to reconsider. When a motion has been carried or lost, it is in order, on the same or the succeeding day, for a Member on the prevailing side of a question to move to reconsider the question. When the House agrees to reconsider a vote on an amendment, the amendment is again pending and the Chair may put it to a new vote. Once a motion to reconsider has been agreed to, the subject of consideration remains pending before the House indefinitely and may be called up by any Member or put before the House by the Chair.

Important: It should be noted that certain motions allowed in the House are prohibited in the Committee of the Whole including, but not limited to, motions for the previous question, to table, to adjourn, to reconsider a vote, and to refer or recommit.

Key Parliamentary Terms

Recognition- The power of recognition of a Member on the Floor is vested in the Speaker of the House or presiding Member, and in committee Chairmen. When 2 or more members seek recognition simultaneously, the presiding officer names the Member who will speak first.

Office of the Parliamentarian- An office managed, supervised and administered by a non-partisan Parliamentarian appointed by the Speaker. This office is responsible for advising the presiding officer, Members and staff on the rules and procedures of the House as well as for compiling and preparing the precedents of the House. All consultation with this office is confidential (if requested).