Overview
Title
Providing for the consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 967) amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to permit Members to vote by proxy in certain cases, and for other purposes.
ELI5 AI
H. RES. 1115 is a plan for how members of a big meeting, like in school, can vote even if they're not there, but it doesn't let anyone change the plan during talking time. They will talk for one hour about it and make sure no one's allowed to bring up old rules that could slow things down.
Summary AI
H. RES. 1115 allows the House of Representatives to consider a resolution, H. Res. 967, which seeks to change the rules to let members vote by proxy in certain situations. This resolution ensures that any rules opposing the consideration of this resolution are set aside, meaning there will be no amendments allowed. The process will include one hour of debate, divided equally between the two sides, and a motion to recommit if necessary.
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AnalysisAI
The proposed resolution, identified as H. RES. 1115, seeks to lay the groundwork for considering another resolution (H. Res. 967) by the U.S. House of Representatives. This new rule change aims to permit members of the House to vote by proxy under specific conditions. Proxy voting allows members to vote without being physically present, potentially facilitating participation during unforeseen circumstances.
General Summary of the Bill
The primary focus of H. RES. 1115 is procedural. It allows for the consideration of H. Res. 967 without amendments, which streamlines the legislative process by waiving all procedural objections. This waiver means the resolution will be debated for one hour, divided equally between the proponents and opponents, followed by a straightforward vote. Additionally, it bypasses certain House rules that might apply to typical resolution considerations, thereby simplifying the way the resolution is processed.
Significant Issues
There are several notable issues associated with this resolution:
Lack of Clarity on Proxy Voting Conditions: The phrase "certain cases" where proxy voting is permissible remains undefined. This vagueness can lead to ambiguity concerning when and how proxy voting would be implemented, raising ethical and procedural concerns.
Restriction on Amendments: The resolution does not allow for amendments. This restriction might suppress essential debate or improvement and limit parliamentary scrutiny.
Waiving Points of Order: By waiving all points of order, the resolution could bypass necessary legal and procedural safeguards. This could lead to the overlooking of conflicts with existing rules or unintended ambiguities.
Reference to House Rules: The mention of Clause 1(c) of rule XIX lacks context, making it difficult for those not familiar with congressional procedures to understand its significance. Without clear context, there is potential for misunderstanding.
Public and Stakeholder Impact
From a public perspective, the potential for proxy voting could be seen as both advantageous and problematic. On one hand, proxy voting might increase legislative efficiency by allowing members to participate in votes during personal emergencies or health crises, thus reflecting more comprehensive representation. On the other hand, without clear guidelines, it could lead to questions about accountability and transparency in how representatives cast their votes.
Specific stakeholders, including House members themselves, might see positive impacts through enhanced flexibility and the ability to maintain legislative duties even when absent. However, this could also lead to negative implications for those who prioritize transparency and the integrity of the traditional voting process, fearing that proxy voting might dilute accountability or be used excessively rather than in genuine need.
Overall, while the resolution aims to streamline legislative action in response to H. Res. 967, it raises concerns and questions about procedural integrity and the implications for democratic accountability. The balance between efficiency and transparency remains a contentious point in this legislative endeavor.
Issues
The resolution is considered without the possibility of amendments, which may prevent debate or improvement of the resolution. This could be significant politically and procedurally as it limits legislative scrutiny and debate (Section 1).
The resolution's allowance of proxy voting in 'certain cases' lacks clarity about what those cases are, which may pose ethical and procedural concerns by creating potential for misuse or lack of transparency (Section 1).
Waiving all points of order against the resolution may allow procedural issues or ambiguities to go unaddressed, which could have legal and procedural implications by allowing potential conflicts with existing rules to be overlooked (Section 1).
The reference to Clause 1(c) of rule XIX without context makes the text difficult to understand, possibly resulting in confusion or misinterpretation of the procedural changes intended by the resolution. This could have political implications by affecting the resolution's application (Section 2).
The absence of information on H. Res. 967’s subject or implications makes it challenging to assess the potential impact or relevance of the rule waiver, which can have political and legislative consequences (Section 2).
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
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Summary AI
The House of Representatives is set to consider a resolution that allows members to vote by proxy under certain conditions. The resolution will not allow for any amendments, and there will be one hour of debate and one chance to recommit before final passage.
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Summary AI
Clause 1(c) of rule XIX is not applicable when considering House Resolution 967.