What number of reps in the house constitutes a quorum?

[shraby]

If a bunch leaves town as they are reportedly planning, if the house still has a quorum, maybe the day can be saved.

[yodermon]

1. I was just searching this. 218 is half the members, or a quorum.

If all the tea partiers leave maybe that will let them "save face" with their batshit-constituents? The rest of the House can then vote to forestall Armageddon.

[shraby]

2. I just googled it and wikipedia says its a majority constitutes a quorum

With 435 members in the house, that means 218 would make a quorum.

[shraby]

3. Another thought, the members letting out that they are going home are probably the

tea party, a bunch of no nothings when it comes to rules, regulations and how congress works, probably don't know a quorum can still pass laws even though they high tail it out of there thinking their latest trick throws a wrench into the works.
Not only that, but they can be called back into session.
Might be better if 218 stick around not to call them back.

[Pab Sungenis]

6. We have about 190 reliable votes.

Maybe more if the Blue Dogs can be shown sense.

Can we find 30 sane Republicans?

[PoliticAverse]

8. Currently 217, as 3 seats are vacant (see post #7)...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3855385

[Savannahmann]

4. The rub is that it still takes a majority of the 435 to pass the bill

So it would still need every one of those who remain to vote for it. It would not just need a majority of the 218 remaining. Until we can get the number over that hurdle, minute procedural nuances aren't going to help.

[Renew Deal]

5. I don't think every seat is filled, so it might be a little lower

217-216 something like that

[PoliticAverse]

7. Currently a quorum in the House is 217...

Last edited Tue Oct 15, 2013, 04:07 PM - Edit history (1)

From: http://clerk.house.gov/legislative/legfaq.aspx

10. What is a quorum?

A quorum in the House of Representatives is when a majority of the Members are present. When there are no vacancies in the membership, a quorum is 218. When one or more seats are vacant, because of deaths or resignations, the quorum is reduced accordingly. Because of Members' other duties, a quorum often is not present on the House floor. But any Member may insist that a quorum must participate in any vote that takes place in the House. If a Member makes a point of order that a quorum is not present, and the Speaker agrees, a series of bells ring on the House side of the Capitol and in the House office buildings to alert Members to come to the Chamber and record their presence.

3 seats in the House are currently vacant ( http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/vacancies.aspx ) making the current
membership of the house 432 (435-3). Half of that is 216 and to get a majority you need one more making 217.

[2naSalit]

9. If they leave town

they should be arrested at the airports and charged with whatever law that will prohibit them from participating in government office again, effective immediately. I'm sure there probably isn't one but they need to be dealt with immediately for intentionally, with malice of forethought and colluding to distroy the government of this nation.

[randome]

10. What if the Speaker rules that a quorum exists in spite of the mathematical reality?

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Treat your body like a machine. Your mind like a castle.[/center][/font][hr]

[ieoeja]

11. I don't think they HAVE to record the vote.

Page 32 of the House Rules.

Rule XX - VOTING AND QUORUM CALLS.
"1. (a) The House shall divide after the
Speaker has put a question to a vote by
voice as provided in clause 6 of rule I if
the Speaker is in doubt or division is
demanded. Those in favor of the question
shall first rise from their seats to
be counted, and then those opposed."


Many paragraphs follow. And I haven't read everything in detail. But what I have seen thereafter pretty much consists of "if", "can" or "may".

It does not say the Clerk will record votes. It says the Speaker "may" order the Clerk to record votes.

If I am correct this appears to leave Boehner a way out. Take a standing vote instead of an electonic vote (as long as 20% of those present do not demand an electronic vote). "Forget" to order the Clerk to record votes. Count the bodies. Clean CR passes. Clean debt limit passes. Call it a day.

Possibly simpler, call the vote in the middle of the night with the Clerk not present. Nobody was there to record the vote, and we didn't feel like waiting for them to drag the Clerk out of his bed. We were more interested in the resolutions and didn't think recording the votes was all that important.

http://clerk.house.gov/legislative/house-rules.pdf