From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Manual / Senate Manual / House Rules and Manual Manual: The official handbook in each house prescribing in detail its organization, rules procedures and operations. The Senate Manual, prepared during the second session of each Congress by the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, contains … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Motion In the House or Senate chamber, a request by a member to institute any of a wide array of parliamentary actions. The member “moves” for a certain procedure, such as the consideration of a measure. The precedence of motions, and whether they are debatable, … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Suspend the Rules / Suspension of the Rules Suspension of the Rules: Expeditious procedure for passing noncontroversial measures in the House. Requires a two-thirds vote of those present and voting, after forty minutes of debate, and does not allow floor amendments. This procedure, for largely … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms OMB Circular No. A-11 Johnny Paycheck singing A-11 OMB Circular A-11, updated annually, instructs agencies how to prepare their budget submissions. Provides detailed guidance to executive departments and establishments by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for preparing and submitting … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Marking Up A Bill / Markup Going through the contents of a piece of legislation in committee or subcommittee to consider its provisions and proposed revisions to the language, and insert new sections and phraseology. If the bill is extensively amended, the committee’s version may … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Legislative Day Time a chamber meets after an adjournment until the time it next adjourns. The “day” extending from the time either chamber meets after an adjournment until the time it next adjourns. Because the House normally adjourns from day to day, legislative days and … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Vote Unless rules specify otherwise, the Senate may agree to any question by a majority of senators voting, if a quorum is present. The Chair puts each question by voice vote unless the “yeas and nays” are requested, in which case a roll call vote … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Sergeant at Arms Byers set to wrestle world’s best Greco-Roman heavyweights House: As an elected officer of the House of Representatives, the Sergeant at Arms is the chief law enforcement and protocol officer of the House of Representatives, and is responsible for maintaining order in … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Bills Introduced / Bills Referred / Sponsor Bills Introduced: In both the House and Senate, any number of members may join in introducing a single bill or resolution. The first member listed is the sponsor of the bill, and all members’ names following his or … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Floor / Aisle / Candy Desk / Gallery “The Floor” describes the actual physical chambers of the House and the Senate, in the Capitol Building, in Washington, DC. These are the only places where legislation can pass. The aisle is the space between the minority … Read more