Point of Order
May 26, 1975
Impeding a Member
Hon. James Jerome
Speaker of the House
Ruling Text
There is a well-established practice that the Chair "ought not to sit as a court of appeal in respect to the proceedings in a standing committee".
Regarding the issue raised by Mr. Kaplan, "the term 'obstruction' in respect to an individual and specific Member was found not to be out of order" according to precedent. However, "it may well be that if examined carefully that particular term could be an impropriety in respect of a description of the actions of a chairman." In that case the procedure would be to either appeal the chairman's ruling to the committee as a whole, or to raise a debate on a motion of censure by a Member. The Committee on Privileges and Elections should not be allowed to become a court of appeal for the proceedings of other standing committees.
Edit Metadata
Holding
"The Speaker will not review or overturn the proceedings of a standing committee, as such matters must be resolved by the committee itself through an appeal to the chair or by the House through a motion of censure."
AI Summary
The Speaker's ruling affirms the principle that the Chair does not act as a court of appeal for the proceedings of standing committees.
AI Analysis
- Outcome
- Denied
- Tone
- Educational
- Procedural Stage
- Point of Order regarding Committee Proceedings
- Significance
Low
High