(b) Motions that have the effect of suspending a rule are not debatable. Consequently motions to suppress, or to limit, or to extend the limits of, debate are undebatable, as they suspend the ordinary rules of debate.
(c) Appeals made after the previous question has been ordered are undebatable, as it would be manifestly improper to permit debate on them when the assembly by a two-thirds vote has closed debate on the pending question. So any order limiting debate on the pending question applies to questions arising while the order is in force.
(d) To Amend, or to Reconsider, an undebatable question is undebatable, whereas to amend, or to reconsider, a debatable question is debatable.
(e) A Subsidiary Motion [12] is debatable to just the extent that it interferes with the right of the assembly to take up the original question at its pleasure. Illustrations: To "Postpone Indefinitely" a question places it out of the power of the assembly to again take it up during that session, except by reconsideration, and consequently this motion allows of free debate, even involving the whole merits of the original question. To "Commit" a question only delays the discussion until the committee reports, when it is open to free debate, so it is only debatable as to the propriety of the commitment and as to the instructions, etc. To "Postpone to a Certain Time" prevents the consideration of the question till the specified time, except by a reconsideration or suspension of the rules, and therefore allows of limited debate upon the propriety of the postponement. To "Lay on the Table" leaves the question so that the assembly can consider it at any time that that question or that class of business is in order, and therefore to lay on the table should not be, and is not, debatable.
The following lists of motions that open the main question to debate, and of those that are undebatable, are made in accordance with the above principles:
| Motion | § |
|---|---|
| Postpone Indefinitely | 34 |
| Reconsider a Debatable Question | 36 |
| Rescind | 37 |
| Ratify | 39 |
| Motion | § |
|---|---|
| Fix the Time to which to Adjourn (when a privileged question) | 16 |
| Adjourn (when unqualified in an assembly that has provided for future meetings) | 17 |
| Take a Recess (when privileged) | 18 |
| Call for the Orders of the Day, and questions relating to priority of business | 20 |
| Appeal when made while an undebatable question is pending, or when simply relating to indecorum, or transgression of the rules of speaking, or to priority of business | 22 |
| Suspension of the Rules | 22 |
| Objection to the Consideration of a Question | 23 |
| Incidental Motions, except an Appeal as shown above in this list under Appeal | 13 |
| Lay on the Table | 28 |
| Previous Question [29] and Motions to Close, Limit, or Extend the Limits of Debate | 30 |
| Amend an Undebatable Motion | 33 |
| Reconsider an Undebatable Motion | 36 |
