From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Standing Vote / Division Vote A non-recorded vote used in both the House and Senate. (A standing vote is also called a division vote.) A division vote can be demanded by any member after a voice vote is taken. The chair or presiding officer can … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Dilatory Motion or Tactic A motion made for the purpose of killing time and preventing action on a bill or amendment by a chamber or a committee. House rules outlaw dilatory motions, but enforcement is largely within the discretion of the Speaker or chairman of … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Reconsider a Vote Reconsider: Parliamentary practice that gives a chamber one opportunity to review its action on a motion, amendment, measure, or any other proposition. A motion to reconsider the vote by which an action was taken has, until it is disposed of, the effect … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Leave to Sit Permission for a committee to meet during the proceedings of the parent chamber. Under Senate Rule XXVI committees are forbidden to meet after the first two hours of the Senate’s daily session, and in no case after 2 pm while the Senate … Read more
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
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Table a Bill / Motion to Table Diagramming how a bill becomes a law in the U.S. Table a Bill: Motions to table, or to “lay on the table,” are used to block or kill amendments or other parliamentary questions. When approved, a … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Reading of Bills Rand Paul Refuses to Vote Without Reading the Bill Traditional parliamentary procedure required bills to be read three times before they were passed. This custom is of little modern significance. Normally a bill is considered to have its first reading … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Discharge Calendar / a Committee / Petition / Resolution Discharge a Committee: To remove a measure from committee to which it has been returned in order to make it available for floor consideration. This is attempted more often in the House than in the Senate, … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Proxy Voting / Polling The practice of permitting a member to cast the vote of an absent colleague. Proxy voting is permitted only in Senate committees if committee rules allow them. Senate Rule XXVI provides that proxies may not be voted when the absent senator … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Parliamentary Inquiry Parliamentary Inquiry regarding the New York Yankees – November 5, 2009 A question from the floor to the presiding officer by a member requesting a clarification of the procedural situation on the floor. Responses to parliamentary inquiries are not rulings of … Read more