From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Cloakroom / Hotline Donnald K. Anderson: Running the Democratic Cloakroom Democratic and Republican cloakrooms adjacent to the Senate and House chambers serve as gathering places for party members to discuss chamber business privately. Each cloakroom operates a “hotline” (telephone cloakroom recording) for party … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Executive Session / Executive Business / Secret Session photo credit: glasseyes view Executive Session (1) A meeting of a Senate or House committee (or occasionally of either chamber) that only its members may attend. Witnesses regularly appear at committee meetings in executive session – for … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Constitutional Authority Statement photo credit: _BuBBy_ On January 5, 2011, the House of Representatives adopted an amendment to House Rule XII adding a requirement to all measures introduced in the House of Representatives that are intended to become law. Specifically, Rule XII, clause 7(c) requires … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Quorum photo credit: ateneinrivolta Quorum, n. A sufficient number of members of a deliberative body to have their own way and their own way of having it. In the United States Senate a quorum consists of the Chairman of the Committee on Finance and a … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Appropriation / Cardinals of Congress David Hawkings’ Whiteboard: How Appropriations is Supposed to Work Appropriation: Provision of law that provides authority for federal agencies to obligate funds and to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. Appropriations for the federal government … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Whip, Majority Whip, Minority Whip In addition to the majority and minority party leaders, each party elects assistant leaders, or “Whips.” Assistants to the floor leaders who are also elected by their party conferences. The majority and minority whips (and their assistants) are responsible for … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Well Open space in front of the House chamber between members’ seats and the podium. Members in the House may speak from lecterns in the well. A censure resolution requires the member to go to the well of the House, where the presiding officer, normally … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Without Objection Senate Judiciary Committee w/Alberto Gonzales-7/24/07 Pt13 Used in lieu of a vote on non-controversial motions, amendments or bills that may be passed in either the House or Senate if no member voices an objection. Voting in the Senate is by voice, … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Presiding Officer photo credit: Wonderlane Senate: A majority-party senator who presides over the Senate and is charged with maintaining order and decorum, recognizing members to speak, and interpreting the Senate’s rules, practices and precedents. House: The Speaker is the presiding officer in the House of … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Yield / Yielding / Yield for a Question? photo credit: OnTask When a member has been recognized to speak by the presiding officer, no other member may speak unless he obtains permission from the member recognized. This permission is called yielding and is requested in … Read more