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 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 … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Printed Amendment / Unprinted Amendment Amendments can be either printed or unprinted. Printed Amendment: A House rule guarantees five minutes of floor debate in support and five minutes in opposition, and no other debate time, on amendments printed in the Congressional Record at least one … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Privilege / Privileged Questions / Question of Privilege Privilege relates to the rights of members of Congress and to relative priority of the motions and actions they may make in their respective chambers. The two are distinct. “Privileged questions” deal with legislative business. “Questions of … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Supplemental, Minority, and Additional Views Statements in a committee report, presenting individual or group opinions on the measure. Views of individual committee members or groups of committee members are required to be included if a member or members request permission to include them. Minority views … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Nomination / Confirmation What Should Have Happened at the Brett Kavanaugh Hearings Presidential appointments to office subject to Senate confirmation per the Constitution, Article II, Section 2. Although most nominations win quick Senate approval, some are controversial and become the topic of hearings … 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 Treaties Resolution of Ratification: Senate vehicle for consideration of a treaty. Executive proposals – in the form of resolutions of ratification – that must be submitted to the Senate for approval by two-thirds of the senators present. Treaties today are normally sent to the Foreign … 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