House Republicans have also passed new rules that prevent delegates representing the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico from having any voting powers in Congress. The rule also affect delegates from American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the Virgin Islands. The six delegates have never had full voting rights in Congress, but during the last session they were permitted to vote when the House was in the Committee of the Whole — that is a parliamentary term that describes when the chamber becomes a committee for the purpose of considering certain legislation.