The First Day of A New Congress

In just over three months a new Congress (the 112th) will come into existence (in the UK the new Parliament mets a few days after it is elected. In 2010 the election was held on 6th May; the first day of meeting was 18th May - and this was regarded as a long interval!).

The Constitution (as amended states that "The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3d day of January, unless they shall by law appoint a different day." Art I Section 4.2)
In the House of Representatives there are certain things which must be done. The main stages of the day's events in the chamber include

1.The Clerk of 110th Congress calls the House to order
2.The Chaplain of the House offers a prayer
3.Members repeat the pledge of allegiance
4.A Roll Call vote is taken - to establish that a quorum exists. Members vote electronically
5.Certain announcements are made - about delegates; and deaths or resignations of former Members
6.The Speaker is elected - both parties nominate for this (and other posts), but the majority party - the Democrats in 111th Congress - win the viva voce roll call vote. [A 'viva voce' vote involves each member stating his vote after his or her name is read out]
7.The newly elected Speaker is sworn in
8.The Oath of Office is taken collectively by all Members in the Chamber. In the afternoon individual oath taking is repeated for the benefit of photographers.
9.Each party announces its leaders
10.Officers of the House are elected (usually each party has agreed its own list, but the majority party prevails)
11.Resolutions regarding messages between the twn Houses; and also with the Presidency, are passed
12.Rules of Procedure are adopted

For a fuller account of first day activities - read Mildred Amer's excellent CRS (Congressional Research Service) report " The First Day of a New Congress: A Guide to Proceedings on the House Floor"



You may wish to skip from 08-35 to 41-55 (Quorum Call) and 51-35 to 02-00-30 (Election of Speaker)

First Days of the New Parliament

The membership of the new Parliament was elected a week and a few hours ago. Many made their way quickly to Westminster. Returning MPs came back to their offices and staff, while new Members were allocated temporary laptops and tables to work from. Orientation programmes were already in place. Meetings of the parliamentary parties have already been held.

Next Tuesday is the official start of the 2010 Parliament. (The 55th Parliament of the United Kingdom). It is from Tuesday that the five year period runs - so if Parliament has not been dissolved by 18th May 2015, it will be automatically dissolved as a result of the Septennial Act 1715. [Five Years was substituted for the original seven years by the Parliament Act of 1911]. Of course this will be a moot point within a few days as the coalition intends to introduce a binding resolution to name the 7th May 2015 as the next General Election date - and probably amend or replace the Septennial Act for future parliaments.

The first business on Tuesday will be to elect a Speaker. Both Houses will have assembled - and the Lords Commissioners will send Black Rod to summon the Commons. When they have congregated at the Bar of the House of Lords they will be told "We have it in command from Her Majesty to let you know that, as soon as the Members of both Houses shall be sworn, the causes of Her Majesty calling this Parliament will be declared to you: and, it being necessary that a Speaker of the House of Commons should be first chosen, it is Her Majesty's Pleasure that you, Members of the House of Commons, repair to the place where you are to sit, and there proceed to the choice of some proper person to be your Speaker, and that you present such person whom you shall so choose here tomorrow for Her Majesty's Royal Approbation."

The process for choosing the Speaker is as follows:

When Parliament meets, the Father of the House - the backbench MP with the longest continuous service - presides over Commons proceedings. As the Speaker in the previous Parliament, John Bercow, has been returned at the general election, if he is willing to be chosen as Speaker, he will make a short speech to the House.

Another MP is called to move a motion that the former Speaker take the chair as Speaker-elect. The Father of the House then puts that question to the House. The motion is not debated. If anyone objects a division, or vote, is held.

If MPs agree, the Speaker-elect takes the chair.There would be speeches of congratulation from the party leaders, and the House would then adjourn. The next afternoon the House would go to the Lords for the Royal Approbation of the Speaker, and return for the start of swearing-in.

If Members do not re-elect the former Speaker, the House is adjourned until 2.30pm the following day when it will elect a new Speaker by secret ballot. The procedure would be the same as that used in 2009 - which is that

• MPs are given a list of candidates and place an x next to the candidate of their choice
  if a candidate receives more than 50 per cent of the votes, the question is put to the House that he or she takes the chair as Speaker


• if no candidate does so, the candidate with the fewest votes, and those with less than five per cent of the vote, are eliminated in addition, any candidate may withdraw within 10 minutes of the announcement of the result of a ballot


• MPs then vote again on the reduced slate of candidates and continue doing so until one candidate receives more than half the votes

Further details can be found here.

Oath taking by all MPs will follow. Similarly Members of the House of Lords take the oath.

(full details of the proceedings in the Lords can be found here)

Election of a New Speaker

Today is the big day.

Candidates must submit written nominations to the Clerk of the House between 09.30 and 10.30 this morning. To be valid these nominations must be signed by between 12 and 15 supporting members, including at least three from other parties. I know that some aspiring candidates have collected nominations that are not linked to promises of support in the ballot (which is why you shouldn't be surprised if some candidates get less than 12 votes).

All validly nominated candidates will then address the House.

The first ballot will last for 30 minutes. If one candidate has over 50% they will be elected. If none achieves that candidates will drop out who

• receive the fewest votes in that round
• get less than 5% of votes cast
• withdraw of their own accord

Subsequent ballots will take place - with the same rules about dropping out until the winner emerges.

In the UK system the Speaker leaves the political party under whose banner they were elected. Unlike in the House of Representatives, the Speaker is expected to be impartial.

The Week Ahead

Monday will see the election of a new Speaker in the House of Commons. It will be the first time that a secret ballot will be used. John Bercow was the favourite - but a fierce anti-Bercow campaign has been mounted - particularly by fellow Tory MPs and some of the press. He is seen as one of the reformers - and Westminster, despite the current storms, can be very resistant to meaningful change.

Thursday will see the usual Business Statement - which prompts discussion of a number of issues on MPs' minds. The House will then be asked to approve various motions, including the establishment of a London Regional Committee and Regional Grand Committees; a motion relating to Members Pensions; and motions relating to Select Committees. Other business in the Commons includes the 2nd Reading of the Marine and Coastal Access Bill (Tuesday) and an Opposition initiated debate on the Iraq Inquiry which was announced last week (Wednesday). While that debate rages in the Commons - another contoversial issue - the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s report into Equitable Life will be discussed in Westminster Hall.

It will be a busy week in the Lords. I'll be interested to know what direction Lord McNally will move in his supplementary to his question asking about plans to celebrate the centenary of the Parliament Act 1911.

The Parliamentary calendar is available at http://services.parliament.uk/calendar/

In Washington the House will spend time on

H.R. 2892 - Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010; H.R. 2647 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010; and the H.R. concerning - Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010.

The House schedule can be found at http://democraticleader.house.gov/docUploads/22WeeklyLeader62209.pdf?CFID=7017212&CFTOKEN=43085550

The Senate is likely to start the week on the Tourism Bill. After false rumours went around on Thursday that the Minnesota Supreme Court would rule that day on the contested election (yes - it is still going on!!!), we wait to hear if a decision will be made this week.