By Request (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms By Request House (House Rule XII – Receipt and Referral of Measures) and Senate rules permit a member to introduce a measure at the request of the president, an executive agency, or a private individual although that member may be opposed to the legislation. The … Read more

Simple Resolution (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Simple Resolution Resolution / Simple Resolution: Sentiment of one chamber on an issue, or a measure to carry out the administrative or procedural business of the chamber. Does not become law. Designated as H. Res. or S. Res. A simple resolution deals with the internal … Read more

Chairman’s Mark / Staff Draft / Committee Print (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Chairman’s Mark / Staff Draft / Committee Print   Opening Remarks for the Mark-up of the NDAA   Subcommittee Reported Version / Committee Print: Many measures considered by a full committee have already received subcommittee action. If a subcommittee reports its version of a text … Read more

Marking Up A Bill / Markup (CongressionalGlossary.com)

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

Vote (CongressionalGlossary.com)

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

Chamber (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Chamber The meeting place for the membership of either the House or Senate; also the membership of the House or Senate meeting as such. The lowest level in each chamber, i.e., the floor of the chamber below the galleries in the physical chamber, is often … Read more

Enacting Clause (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Enacting Clause Key phrase in bills beginning “Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives . . .” A successful motion to strike it from legislation kills the measure. 1 USC § 101 specifies: The enacting clause of all Acts of Congress shall … Read more

Clean Bill (CongressionalGlossary.com)

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

Constitutional Authority Statement (CongressionalGlossary.com)

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

Scheduling (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Scheduling photo credit: CarbonNYC Senate practice today generally concedes to the Majority Leader the prerogative of arranging the floor schedule of the Senate and making unanimous consent requests and motions to proceed to consider bills and other items of business. The Majority Leader is also … Read more