Title 3 — The PresidentRelease 119-73
§17 Same; limit of debate in each House
Title 3 › Chapter CHAPTER 1— - PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS AND VACANCIES › § 17
Summary
When the Houses separate over an objection to a State’s electoral votes, objections for that State are heard. Each member may speak once up to five minutes. Each House gets two hours, split equally and run by the Majority and Minority Leaders or their designees. The chair must then put each objection to a vote without further debate.
Full Legal Text
Title 3, §17
The President — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
When the two Houses separate to decide upon an objection pursuant to section 15(d)(2)(C)(i) that may have been made to the counting of any electoral vote or votes from any State, or other question arising in the matter—
(1)all such objections and questions permitted with respect to such State shall be considered at such time;
(2)each Senator and Representative may speak to such objections or questions for up to five minutes, and not more than once;
(3)the total time for debate for all such objections and questions with respect to such State shall not exceed two hours in each House, equally divided and controlled by the Majority Leader and Minority Leader, or their respective designees; and
(4)at the close of such debate, it shall be the duty of the presiding officer of each House to put each of the objections and questions to a vote without further debate.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2022—Pub. L. 117–328 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “When the two Houses separate to decide upon an objection that may have been made to the counting of any electoral vote or votes from any State, or other question arising in the matter, each Senator and Representative may speak to such objection or question five minutes, and not more than once; but after such debate shall have lasted two hours it shall be the duty of the presiding officer of each House to put the main question without further debate.”
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
3 U.S.C. § 17
Title 3 — The President
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73