H.Res. 78: Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to permit Delegates and the Resident Commissioner to the Congress to cast votes in the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.

H.Res. 78: Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to permit Delegates and the Resident Commissioner to the Congress to cast votes in the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.

110th Congress · introduced 2007-01-19 · Congress · Latest: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2007-01-19 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Hoyer, Steny H. [D-MD-5] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: 2 recorded votes in our records. Latest: House roll call 56 (2007): On consideration of the resolution, HRES78 (2007-01-24), Passed. See all
Where it stands now: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to permit Delegates and the Resident Commissioner to the Congress to cast votes in the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Amends Rule III (The Members, Delegates, and Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico) of the Rules of the House of Representatives to provide that, in a Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, each Delegate and the Resident Commissioner shall possess the same powers and privileges (including voting) as Members of the House. Amends Rule XVIII (The Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union) to allow a Delegate or the Resident Commissioner to preside as Chairman of such Committee. Declares that, whenever a recorded vote on any question has been decided by a margin within which the votes cast by the Delegates and the Resident Commissioner have been decisive, the Committee of the Whole shall rise and the Speaker shall put such question de novo without intervening motion. Requires the Committee to resume its sitting, without intervening motion, upon the announcement of the vote on that question.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

A Yea supports adopting this resolution.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to permit Delegates and the Resident Commissioner to the Congress to cast votes in the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Hoyer, Steny H. [D-MD-5] · 5 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

James E. Clyburn (D-SC), John B. Larson (D-CT)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Hoyer, Steny H. [D-MD-5] reported raising $402,851 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

Recorded votes

House roll call 56 (2007): On consideration of the resolution, HRES78 (2007-01-24): Passed
House roll call 57 (2007): On Agreeing to the Resolution, HRES78 (2007-01-24): Passed

Words on this page, explained (3)

Resolution: A formal statement or decision by a legislative body. Simple resolutions often only express an opinion or set rules for one chamber; they do not become law.
Roll-call vote: A vote where each member's position is recorded by name, so the public can see how every member voted. "Yea" means yes, "Nay" means no, "Present" means the member was there but did not take a side.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-110hres78.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/110/hres>

Record fed-us-cong110-hres78 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110