Measures reported from committee are assigned by the Speaker to
one of four regularly used calendars, namely the Union Calendar,
the House Calendar, the Private Calendar and the Corrections Calendar.
These calendars list bills in the chronological order in which
they are reported by the various committees.
1. The Union Calendar - Clause 1 of Rule XIII (First):
"A Calendar of the Committee of the Whole House on the
state of the Union, to which shall be referred all bills raising
revenue, general appropriations bills, and bills of a public character
directly or indirectly appropriating money or property."
All legislation dealing with raising, authorizing or spending
money is assigned to this calendar.
2. The House Calendar - Clause 1 of Rule XIII (Second):
"A House calendar, to which shall be referred all bills
of a public character not raising revenue nor directly or indirectly
appropriating money or property." Non-money measures
and other measures dealing with internal House matters are put
on this calendar.
3. The Private Calendar - Clause 1 of Rule XIII (Third):
"A Calendar of the Committee of the Whole House, to which
shall be referred all bills of a private character."
Bills dealing with the relief of a private nature, those not
of general application and usually dealing with identifiable private
persons, are assigned to this calendar. Bills on this calendar
are considered on special calendar days.
4. The Corrections Calendar - Clause 4 of Rule XIII:
"After a measure has been favorably reported and placed on
the Union or House Calendar, the Speaker may, after consultation
with the Minority Leader, file with the Clerk a notice requesting
that such bill also be placed on a special calendar to be known
as the `Corrections Calendar'." Certain noncontroversial
bills are assigned by the Speaker, after consultation with the
bipartisan Corrections advisory panel, to this calendar. Measures
so referred are also in order on special calendar days, namely
the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. Measures that are
rejected (fail to receive the required 3/5th vote)
are placed back on the Union or House Calendar without prejudice.
CALENDARS also includes the Calendar of Motions to Discharge Committees.
Clause 3 of Rule XXVII: "A Member may present to the
Clerk a motion in writing to discharge a committee from consideration
of a public bill or resolution which has been referred to it thirty
days prior.....When a majority of the total membership shall have
signed the motion, it shall be entered on the Journal, printed
with the signatures thereto in the Congressional Record, and referred
to the Calendar of Motions to Discharge Committees."
This "Discharge Calendar" lists all motions to discharge
committees through special procedures. This calendar is only
very infrequently used.
In addition to the above calendars, this publication contains
a variety of other information including the following.
While the CALENDARS is a handy reference source, it should be
noted that not every measure listed is called up and considered
by the House.