From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms
Executive Calendar

This is a non-legislative calendar in the Senate on which executive business, presidential documents such as treaties and nominations are listed. The Senate’s Executive Calendar (PDF) is updated each day the Senate is in session. The executive calendar identifies executive resolutions, treaties, and nominations reported out by Senate committees and awaiting Senate floor action. The Executive Calendar is composed of eight sections:
- Cover/Unanimous Consent Agreements: This section identifies the title and date of the latest Executive Calendar. It also displays the text of any unanimous consent agreements that shall govern Senate action on specific items of Executive business.
- Resolutions: This section identifies Senate resolutions pertaining to Executive business, placed on the Executive Calendar with a sequentially assigned calendar number and ready for Senate floor consideration.
- Treaties: This section identifies Treaties submitted by the President to the Senate for ratification, placed on the Executive Calendar with a sequentially assigned calendar number and ready for Senate floor consideration.
- Nominations: This section identifies Presidential Nominations submitted to the Senate for confirmation, placed on the Executive Calendar with a sequentially assigned calendar number and ready for Senate floor consideration.
- Nominations Placed on Secretary’s Desk: This section identifies routine nomination lists, previously printed in the Congressional Record, placed on the Secretary’s desk for the information of Senators while awaiting floor action.
- Privileged Nominations: This section lists routine nominations which are entitled to expedited procedures.
- Notices of intent to object: This section identifies objections to unanimous consents to proceed to nominations or treaties.
- Motions for reconsideration: This section contains motions for reconsideration, not yet acted on.
Also see § 6.180, Senate Calendars and Legislative and Executive Business before the Senate, in Congressional Deskbook.
Senate Rule 22: Executive Nominations and the Role of Debate
More
- “The Senate’s Executive Calendar,” CRS Report 98-438 (6-page PDF
)
- “Senate Executive Business and the Executive Calendar,” CRS Report 98-709 (4-page PDF
)
- “Senate Consideration of Presidential Nominations: Committee and Floor Procedure,” CRS Report RL31980 (20-page PDF
)
- “How Measures Are Brought to the Senate Floor: A Brief Introduction,” CRS Report RS20668 (10-page PDF
)
- “Motions to Proceed to Consider Measures in the Senate: Who Offers Them?” CRS Report RS21255 (19-page PDF
)
- “Senate Standing Committees’ Rules on Legislative Activities and Executive Business: Analysis for the 113th Congress,” CRS Report R43799 (97-page PDF
)
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