Previous question
| Class | Subsidiary motion |
|---|---|
| In order when another has the floor? | No |
| Requires second? | Yes |
| Debatable? | No |
| May be reconsidered? | Yes, but if vote was affirmative, only before any vote has been taken under it. A negative vote on this motion can be reconsidered only until such time as progress in business or debate has made it essentially a new question. |
| Amendable? | No |
| Vote required | Two-thirds |
In parliamentary procedure, the previous question (also known as "calling for the question", "calling the question", "close debate", "calling for a vote", "vote now", or other similar forms) is generally used as a motion to end debate on a pending proposal and bring it to an immediate vote. The meaning of this specialized motion has nothing to do with any question previously considered by the assembly.
In the United States Senate and in parliaments, a motion for "cloture", or "closure", is used instead to end debate. In those bodies, the "previous question" has a different use and is rarely used or not used at all.
The "previous question" was initially used in the British Parliament in 1604. At that time, use of this motion was intended not to end debate, but to suppress the main question for the rest of the session (similar to an objection to the consideration of a question). It could be debated and when put to a vote, an affirmative vote on the previous question would put the main motion to a vote, while a negative vote on the previous question would end consideration of the main motion altogether for the day. Although rarely used, this same form of the motion still exists in parliament.
The United States Congress gradually changed the previous question to a different motion for its own purposes. Initially, its use in Congress was similar to that in parliament. Then in 1805, Congress made it undebatable. Throughout the 19th century, Congress made additional changes to this motion. By the end of the 19th century in the United States, it became a motion to close debate and to proceed to voting on the main question.
To end debate, a motion for the previous question could be adopted. It is often proposed by a member saying, "I call [for] the question", although the formal wording is, "I move the previous question." The motion for the "previous question" has nothing to do with the last question previously considered by the assembly.
Another use of this motion could be to stop the moving of amendments on any amendable motion. It also prevents the making of other subsidiary motions like commit or postpone.
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