Year: 1879

mn AutFuuuttu IN Tue senate EfuNtNAu


Seats In the senate and House for Mem


bers Of the Cabinet


WAsHtydToN, March St.-The iolloWln


Is the bill introduced By Mr. Pendleton


Of Ohio, providing that the principal Of


ficer Of each otthe Executive Department


mayloccupy seats on the floor Of the senat


and House Of Representatives:


Bet enacted, eic., That the Secretary 0


State, the Secretary Of the Treasury, tn


Secretary ot War the Secretary Of tht


Navy, the Secretary or the Interior, the


Postmaster General, and the Attorney


General shall be entitled TO occupy seat


on the floor Of the Senate and House o


Representatives, with the right 10 partici


pate In debate on matters relative TO thu


business OF their respective Departments


under such rules as may be prescribed BY


the Senate and House respectively.


torney General, and the Postmaster Gen.
eral shall attend hesessions Of the Senate
on the opening the sittings on Tuesdays
and Fridays OF each week, and the ses-
slons OF the House Of Representatives on
the opening Of the sittings on Mondays
and Thursdays Of each week, 10 give In
formation asked by resolution or In reply
TO questions which may be propounded TO
them under the rules OF the Senate and
House respectively.


Rules suggested to be adopted by the
Senate and House respectively TO carry
into effect the above bill; The Secretary
Of the Senate or the Clerk OF the House, In
which he shall enter, at the request Of
any member, any resolution requiring in.
formation from any Of the executive de-
paEtments, or any question intended to be
propounded to any nf the Secretaries or
the Attorney General or the Postmaster
General, relating TO public affairs or the
business pending before the Senate or the
House OF Representatives, together with
the name Of the member and the day
when the same will be called up. The
member giving notice OF such, resolution
or question shall at the same time
give notice that the same will be
called up in the Senateon the following
Tuesday or Friday, or in the House OF
Representatives on the following Monday
or Thursday; provided that no such reso.
luton or question shall be called up, ex-
cept by unanimous consent within less
than three days alter notice shall have
been given. The Secretary Of the Senate,
or the Clerk Of the House Of Representa-.
hves, shall, on the same day on which no
tice Is entered, transmit to the principal
officer oil the department copy OF the
resolution or question, together with
the name OF the member propos.
ing the same, and OF the day when It
will be called up in the Senate or House OF
In the Senate on Tues
day and Friday Of each week, or House OF
Representatives on Monday and Thursday
OF each week, before any other business
shall be taken up, except by unanimous
consent, the resolutions and questions
shall be taken up in the order In which
they have been entered upon the notice
book for that day. The member offering
q resolution may state suecinctly the OBJ
ject and scope, and the reasons for desir-
ing the information, and the Secretary OF
the proper department may reply, giving
the information or. the reasons why
the same should be withheld, and
then the Senate or House OF Representa-
tives shall vote on the resolution, unless
it shall be withdrawn or postponed. In
putting any question to the Secretaries, or
the Attorney General or Postmaster Cen
eral, no argument or opinion 10 be offer
ed, NOR any fact stated, except SO far as may
be necessary to explain such question, and
in answering such question the Secretary,
the Attorney General, and the Postmaster
General shall not debate the matter to
which the same refers, nor state facts OF
opinions other than those necessary to
explain the answer.