Under Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR), this motion must be made within a limited time after the action on the original motion: either on the same day or in the case of a multi-day session (such as a convention), on the next day within the session in which business is conducted.
[3] Until the motion to reconsider is disposed of or lapses, the effect of the original vote is suspended, and no action may be taken to implement it.
[4] This is in contrast to the motion to rescind, which may be made at any later meeting, but until passed, has no effect on the original decision.
[9] The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure (TSC) treats the motion to reconsider differently in the following ways.
[13] In American legislative bodies, there is a strong tradition of affirming the right to reconsider with almost no restrictions.
[20] In addition, a custom that is followed in this body is that following a vote, the speaker or speaker pro tempore (in the US House of Representatives) or president or acting president pro tempore (in the US Senate) typically announces that, "without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table.
[22] Its purpose is to delay a temporary majority from taking action on a measure until there is time to notify absent members.
For example, at a long meeting, many members may have left, leaving a quorum consisting mostly of a group determined to take certain action.