From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Recorded Vote / Roll Call Vote Roll Call Vote on H.R. 2126 Recorded Vote: A vote upon which each member’s stand is individually made known. In the Senate, this is accomplished through a roll call of the entire membership, to which each senator … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Morning Hour / Morning Business The time set-aside at the beginning of each legislative day for the consideration of regular, routine business. The “hour” is of indefinite duration in the House, where a period is set aside at the beginning of the day for members … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Floor Leaders In the House, the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader represent their parties on the House floor. They are assisted by whips. The House, with its large membership, has chosen majority and minority leaders since the 19th century to expedite legislative business and … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Majority Leader The Majority Leader is elected by her party colleagues. In the Senate, the Majority Leader, in collaboration with the Minority Leader, directs the legislation schedule for the Senate. Each is her party’s spokesperson and chief strategist. In the House, the Majority Leader is … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Clean Bill If a committee has approved extensive amendments, the committee may decide to report the original bill with one “amendment in the nature of a substitute” consisting of all the amendments previously adopted, or may introduce and report a new bill incorporating those amendments, … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Caucus / Congressional Member Organization / CMO / Congressional Staff Organization / CSO Caucus is from the Algonquian Indian language, where caucus meant “to meet together.” An informal organization of members of the House or the Senate, or both, that exists to discuss issues of … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Calendar of Motions to Discharge Committees photo credit: SurfaceWarriors When a majority of the members of the House sign a motion to discharge a committee from consideration of a public bill or resolution, that motion is referred to the Calendar of Motions to Discharge Committees. … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Private Calendar / Private Bill Private Calendar In the House, private bills dealing with individual matters such as claims against the government, immigration, land titles, etc., are put on this calendar. The private calendar must be called on the first Tuesday of each month, and … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Controlled Time photo credit: PopCultureGeek.com When a unanimous consent agreement limits the time for debate on a bill or other measure and places it under the control of bill floor managers, the time is said to be controlled. Each manager then allows any senator to … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Floor Manager photo credit: karindalziel A member who has the task of steering legislation through floor debate and the amendment process to a final vote in the House or the Senate. Floor managers usually are the chairmen or ranking members of the committee that reported … Read more