To those wondering why Judiciary Committee members keep asking to "Strike the last word".....

[brooklynite]

Countable

Let’s start at the beginning. When you hear this, it is very likely in a committee, during debate and markup of a bill. A markup is simply a hearing where amendments to a bill are debated and voted on, before the committee decides whether to send the bill to the floor for a final vote on passage.

Here’s the rub. House rules say that each amendment can only be debated for 10 minutes – five minutes for those in support, and five minutes for those opposed. But, members of Congress love to hear themselves speak sometimes.

That’s why they use a little trick. That trick is called offering a pro forma amendment. Pro Forma, in Latin, means "for the sake of form," or, a formality.

That’s exactly what a pro forma amendment is. As a formality, a member can simply say they’re offering an amendment to the amendment under debate, and get their own five minutes to speak. They never even have to submit a real amendment. Just verbally saying they’re offering one, as a formality, gives them five minutes.

When a member says they "move to strike the last word" it, too, is part of that formality. They’re asking to strike, or delete, the very last word of the amendment under debate, indicating that they’re offering a pro forma amendment to replace that last word.

[badseedboy]

1. Thank you!

[dewsgirl]

2. This is the best explanation, I have seen all day.

[Midnightwalk]

3. Thanks

Does that guarantee another 5 minutes or is there some decision process that actually grants the extra time to everyone who asked to strike the last word?

If Nadler didn’t remind jordan, collins and goobert or anyone else would they individually not get their 5 minutes?

Funny how they could just change the rules to say the chair or a majority of committee members could do another 5 minute round but they prefer to strike the last word. Is there a reason?

[skylucy]

4. I appreciate the explanation. I was wondering about that as I sit here

watching the impeachment hearings. (So glad MSNBC commentators keep mentioning that this is historic. It helps me not to feel guilty about sitting in front of the TV instead of doing housework. )

[lastlib]

6. Ditto!!

[pnwmom]

5. Thank you! I've been thinking about googling for that, but you saved me the trouble. n/t