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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Wayners who wrote (682855)	5/20/2005 1:32:14 PM
From: DuckTapeSunroof	Respond to of 769667

No, of course not... but the children need someone to interpret and explain the rule book for them: [The Senate Parliamentarian serves at the pleasure of the Senate Majority Leader, and functions under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate as a non-partisan employee of the Senate.... The Parliamentarians in both chambers have as their key responsibility advising the Member of Congress presiding over the floor throughout a day's session. The Parliamentarian guides the Chair in formulating his responses to parliamentary inquiries and his rulings on points of order.] [...In the Senate, the Parliamentarian sits on the lower tier of the rostrum just below the presiding officer. He is frequently seen swiveling around in his chair, which faces the Senate floor, to address the Senator presiding behind him. While the Member of Congress presiding is free to take or ignore the advice of the Parliamentarian, most abide by his guidance. Few Members have the independent body of knowledge regarding the chamber's procedures necessary to preside on their own. In the Senate, the Parliamentarian, and in the House, the Parliamentarian's Clerk, also keep track of the time when Members are allotted a specific number of minutes to speak. The Parliamentarians also answer questions from individual Members and congressional staff on a wide variety of subjects, and on a confidential basis. For example, the Parliamentarians are asked to review drafts of bills prior to their introduction and drafts of amendments to ascertain they conform to the rules of the body. They help formulate points of order for Members wishing to mount a floor challenge. Perhaps the most time-consuming element of the job is to review all proposed bills and, based on their content, refer them to the appropriate committee of jurisdiction for legislative consideration. The parliamentarians also assist committees in preparing for and conducting hearings and mark-ups of legislation. The Office of the Parliamentarian is also responsible for compiling and publishing at the start of each new Congress any changes to the rules of the chamber. They also compile and maintain the parliamentary precedents of the chamber. Parliamentarians both apprentice for and serve in their positions for long periods. Developing the expertise required for the job is an extensive effort, requiring a law degree and years of watching parliamentary maneuvers play out on the House or Senate floors.] c-span.org