|
Home Page > Legislative
Branch > Deschler's Precedents > About
Deschler's Precedents: About
The early parliamentary precedents of the U.S. House of Representatives were published by Asher Hinds (1907) and Clarence Cannon (1936). The Deschler and Deschler-Brown Precedents of the U.S. House of Representatives document the parliamentary precedents and procedural practices of the House from 1936 forward. The Deschler/Deschler-Brown series is expected to comprise 41 chapters and an appendix spanning 18 volumes.
The scope of the work for the Deschler/Deschler-Brown series initially was outlined by Lewis Deschler (1903-1976), who served as Parliamentarian of the House from 1928 to 1974. Mr. Deschler commenced the compilation process in 1974 with a view toward covering the period from 1936 through 1973. When Mr. Deschler died in 1976, the project was continued by William Holmes Brown (1929-2001), who served as Parliamentarian of the House from 1974 to 1994. Mr. Brown published chapters 1 through 27 as Deschler’s Precedents (volumes 1 through 9). At that point (in 1986) the scope of the work for the succeeding chapters was expanded to include precedents developed beyond 1973, and the remainder of the series was redesignated as the Deschler-Brown Precedents. Mr. Brown published chapter 28 (spanning volumes 10 and 11) while serving as Parliamentarian and, before his death in 2001, produced chapters 29 through 33 (spanning volumes 12 through 16) for publication by his successor, Charles W. Johnson III, who served as Parliamentarian of the House from 1994 to 2004. Mr. Johnson continues the project today.
Volume 17 of the Deschler-Brown Precedents will incorporate an eclectic mix of chapters not logically placed in earlier volumes: constitutional amendments (ch. 34); presidential messages and executive communications (ch. 35); ceremonies and awards (ch. 36); resignations (ch. 37); deaths (ch. 38); recesses (ch. 39); and adjournments (ch. 40). As these chapters are completed with indices, each will be made available on the web through the GPO.
Volume 18 of the Deschler-Brown Precedents will comprise two parts. A chapter 41 will address the congressional budget process. An appendix will outline the scope of the work going forward on cumulative restatements of chapters 1 through 41 from the perspective of Charles W. Johnson III, whose service in the Office of the Parliamentarian for 40 years with seven successive Speakers so uniquely qualifies him for the task.
Volume-to-chapter correspondence of the seventeen volumes of Deschler's Precedents.
| Volume |
Chapter(s) |
| 1 |
1-6 |
| 2 |
7-9 |
| 3 |
10-14 |
| 4 |
15-17 |
| 5 |
18-20 |
| 6 |
21 |
| 7 |
22-25 |
| 8 |
26 |
| 9 |
27 |
| 10 |
28: Sections 1-24 |
| 11 |
28: Sections 25-end, plus index |
| 12 |
29: Sections 1-34 |
| 13 |
29: Sections 35-end, plus index |
| 14 |
30 |
| 15 |
31 |
| 16 |
32-33 |
| 17 |
34-35 |
|
