From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Standing Committee Committees permanently established by House and Senate rules. House Rule X and Senate Rule XXV list the jurisdiction of each committee. The standing committees are legislative committees. Legislation may be referred to them and they may report bills and resolutions to their parent … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Regular Meeting Day Senate Rule XXVI requires that all committees designate at least one day a month on which it will meet to transact business. Additional meetings may be called by the chairman or by demand of a majority of a committee’s members. Also see … 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
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms “Christmas Tree” Bill “Christmas Tree” Bill: Informal nomenclature / jargon for a bill containing many riders / amendments unrelated, i.e, nongermane, to the bill’s subjects; usually refers to Senate measures. A bill on the Senate floor that attracts many, often unrelated, floor amendments. The amendments … 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 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