From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms
Question
Question: Any matter on which the House or Senate is to vote, such as passage of a bill, adoption of an amendment, agreement to a motion, or an appeal. During a filibuster in the Senate, a senator may yield to another senator for a question, but the senator still controls the floor.
To “put the question” is to ask the body to vote on the matter at issue.
Each House shall keep a Journal of its Proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such Parts as may in their Judgment require Secrecy; and the Yeas and Nays of the Members of either House on any question shall, at the Desire of one fifth of those Present, be entered on the Journal.
U.S. Constitution, Article. I. Section. 5.
More
- Question of Privilege;
- Previous Question
- Voice Vote
- § 6.231 Steps to Invoke Cloture, § 6.100 Consideration of a Special Rule on the House Floor, § 6.130 House Floor: Voting, in Congressional Deskbook
- “A Parliamentary-Style Question Period: Proposals and Issues for Congress,” CRS Report RL34599 (46-page PDF
) - “House Committee Markups: Manual of Procedures and Procedural Strategies,” CRS Report R41083 (220-page PDF)
- “Constitutional Points of Order in the Senate,” CRS Report R40948 (11-page PDF)
- “A Retrospective of House Rules Changes Since the 110th Congress,” CRS Report R42395 (88-page PDF)
- “Commonly Used Motions and Requests in the House of Representatives,” CRS Report RL32207 (20-page PDF)
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Publications
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Citizen’s Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials: A Guide for Citizen Lobbyists and Grassroots Advocates
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CongressionalGlossary.com, from TheCapitol.Net
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