From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Closed Rule / Modified Closed Rule / Special Rule / Open Rule In the House, under a closed rule, no amendments can be offered to the bill. Permits general debate for a specified period of time but permits no floor amendments. Amendments reported by the … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Pro Forma Session / Recess Appointment Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) chairs this 9-second session of the United States Senate on December 26, 2007, to prevent recess appointments by President Bush. Pro Forma Session: From the Latin, meaning “as a matter of form.” A … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Strike / and Insert / from the Record / the Last Word / Expunge Strike and Insert: Amendment that replaces text in a measure or an amendment. Strike from the Record: Remarks made on the House floor may offend some member, who moves that the … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Substitute / Substitute Amendment / Queen-of-the-Hill Rule Substitute: A motion, amendment or entire bill introduced in place of the pending legislative business. Passage of a substitute measure kills the original measure by supplanting it. The substitute also may be amended. Substitute Amendment: This type of … Read more
There are four types of votes that occur in the House of Representatives. They are voice, division, yea and nay, and record votes. A voice vote refers to members calling out ‘yea’ or ‘nay’ whenever a question is put in the House. The Speaker will determine the outcome of the vote by the volume of … Read more