BROADCAST COVERAGE TIMELINE JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS FOR COUNTING OF THE ELECTORAL VOTES

http://www.house.gov/radiotv/TimelineElectoralVotes%202005.htm

BROADCAST COVERAGE TIMELINE

 

JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS FOR

 

COUNTING OF THE ELECTORAL VOTES

 

THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 2005

 

 

NOTE

All aspects of the proceedings described are based on Title III U.S.

Code Sections 15 thru 18 and information provided by the House Parliamentarian John. V. Sullivan. When using terms right and left, it is intended to indicate to the right and left of the people on the dais facing the seated members.

 

 

11 AM

(Regular House broadcast system coverage)

 

• House called to order by Speaker Dennis Hastert

• Prayer offered by House Chaplain Daniel Coughlin

• Approval of Journal

• Pledge of Allegiance led by House Member to be determined

• Any new members not previously sworn in may be sworn in at this time

• Some housekeeping resolutions may be brought up at this time

• Speaker announces names of House tellers – TBA

• Speaker announces recess until approx.

12:55 pm

.

 

1 PM

(Additional camera coverage)

 

• House called to order by Speaker Dennis Hastert

• House Sergeant-at-Arms Bill Livingood announces arrival of the Senate

• Four Senate Pages carrying two mahogany box containing the “certificates of vote” from the states are followed by Senate Sergeant-at-Arms William Pickle, Secretary of the Senate Emily Reynolds, Vice President Richard Cheney, Senate Parliamentarian Alan Frumin, Senate Tellers Senators Trent Lott (MS) Chris Dodd (CT) and other Senators

• Vice President Cheney takes his place to the Speaker’s right and calls Joint Session to order

• Vice President Cheney invites tellers to take their places at the desk in front of the Speaker’s rostrum.

• The Senate Parliamentarian opens and hands the first certificate of votes (from Alabama) to the Secretary of the Senate, who hands it to the House Parliamentarian John Sullivan; he hands it to Vice President Cheney, who hands it to one of the tellers. The tellers alternate reporting on the authenticity and proper form of each certificate and the number of votes designated for President and Vice President. Each teller records the result on a paper tally sheet.

• At the end of the reading of results from all 50 states and DC, the tellers compare the results on their four tally sheets and ALL sign all four tally sheets. Vice President Cheney then announces the result totals and orders them inserted into the respective journals.

• This entire session generally takes approximately 45 minutes…

…UNLESS…

• If there is an objection to any certificate, it must be raised by both a House and Senate member in writing as a state’s certificate is opened. The Senate must then “withdraw” to the Senate Chamber and each body can discuss each objection related to that state for up to two hours after which time each body votes separately on each objection. Each body would then return to the Joint Session to report its respective action on the objection.

 

THE HOUSE MAY THEN CONTINUE WITH ONE MINUTES OR OTHER LEGISLATIVE BUSINESS

(Back to Regular House broadcast system coverage)