Senate May No Longer Be a No-No
House Democrats on Tuesday endorsed new House rules that would allow members to refer to the Senate as the Senate, instead of simply as “the other body.”
House rules have prohibited members from referring in debate to the Senate by name since the early 19th Century, apparently because of a belief that the two houses should legislate independently. Lawmakers have been gaveled down when they did not use euphemisms for the other chamber.
Even under the new rules endorsed by the Democratic Caucus, which require ratification by the full House in January, House members would still be prohibited from referring to individual members of the Senate, expressing opinions about Senate actions or quoting from Senate proceedings.
Rep. Mike Lowry (D-Wash.), who admitted to being called out of order in the past, said restricting members from discussing Senate actions was frustrating.
“They will take the most irresponsible, pompous positions over there in the Senate, and you can’t get up on the floor here and talk about it,” he said.
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