Post by Admin Tyler on Dec 30, 2005 1:31:49 GMT -5
This has been adapted from the House Rules Speaker Hastert was so great to conjure up. Cloture and a good deal many other changes were made as well.
RULES OF THE SENATE
I. MOTIONS
Every motion entertained by the President of the Senate shall be reduced to writing on the demand of a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner and, unless it is withdrawn the same day, shall be entered on the Journal with the name of the Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner offering it. A dilatory motion may not be entertained by the President of the Senate.
A. In order of Precedence
A motion to adjourn, or to lay on the table shall be decided without debate. A motion to postpone to refer, or to postpone indefinitely, being decided, may not be allowed again on the same day at the same stage of the question.
B. Amendments
When an amendable proposition is under consideration, members, excluding the Leaders must receive a second within 12 hours, and then 24 hours to vote on the motion. The President of the Senate may extend time at his pleasure.
C. Germaneness
No motion or proposition on a subject different from that under consideration shall be admitted under color of amendment.
II. The President of the Senate
The President of the Senate shall have final authority on all rules, unless overruled by a majority of the Senate. The Vice President will cast the deciding ballot in the event of a tie. A President Pro Tempore may act as President of the Senate in the absense of the Vice President. The President Pro Tempore is a Senate member of the majority party.
III. Consideration
A. The Majority Leader shall bring to the floor only 5 bills for consideration at one time. 1 of those bills must be co-sponsored by a member of the minority.
Voting
A. The Majority Leader is recognized as first to speak. Therefore, he needs no second to call any motion.
B. The Minority Leader is recognized as second to speak. Therefore, he needs no second to call a motion unless the Majority Leader objects before the motion is recognized by the President of the Senate.
C.Others' motions must be seconded within 12 hours.
D. For motions and amendments, the President of the Senate shall assign at least 24 hours.
E. For final voting, the President of the Senate shall assign at least 48 hours. The President of the Senate may extend voting time, but no longer than 72 hours.
F. When a motion for Unanimous consent is called for, there must be 24 hours given for objection. If no objection, the bill passes unanimously.
G. If there is no debate on a bill that is in the floor for a period of 72 hours or greater, the President of the Senate may ask if the body is ready for the question. If a member answers responds in the negative, debate will continue. If no response is obtained within another 72 hours, the debate will be postponed indefinately.
H. A member may change their vote until the President of the Senate closes voting. Then no member may change their vote.
I. The Senate Clerk shall tabulate and maintain a list of voting records of its members.
IV. CLOTURE AND ENDING DEBATE
The procedure for "invoking cloture," or ending a filibuster and debate, is as follows:
A. A minimum of sixteen senators must sign a petition for cloture.
B. On the second calendar day during which the Senate sits after the presentation of the petition, after the Senate has been sitting for one hour, a "quorum call" is undertaken to ensure that a majority of the Senators are present.
C. The President or President pro tempore presents the petition.
D. The Senate votes on the petition; three-fifths of the whole number of Senators (sixty with no vacancies) is the required majority; however, when cloture is invoked on a question of changing the rules of the Senate, two-thirds of the Senators voting (not necessarily two-thirds of all Senators) is the requisite majority.
E. Senate Rule 22 permits procedural filibusters, in which actual continuous floor speeches are not required, although the Senate Majority Leader may require an actual traditional filibuster if he or she so chooses.
F. Budget bills are governed under special rules called "Reconciliation" which do not allow filibusters. The rule is non-applicable in six instances.
RULES OF THE SENATE
I. MOTIONS
Every motion entertained by the President of the Senate shall be reduced to writing on the demand of a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner and, unless it is withdrawn the same day, shall be entered on the Journal with the name of the Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner offering it. A dilatory motion may not be entertained by the President of the Senate.
A. In order of Precedence
(1) To adjourn.
(2) Overrule the Chair
(3) To lay on the table.
(4) To refer.
(5) To amend.
(6) To postpone indefinitely.
A motion to adjourn, or to lay on the table shall be decided without debate. A motion to postpone to refer, or to postpone indefinitely, being decided, may not be allowed again on the same day at the same stage of the question.
B. Amendments
When an amendable proposition is under consideration, members, excluding the Leaders must receive a second within 12 hours, and then 24 hours to vote on the motion. The President of the Senate may extend time at his pleasure.
C. Germaneness
No motion or proposition on a subject different from that under consideration shall be admitted under color of amendment.
II. The President of the Senate
The President of the Senate shall have final authority on all rules, unless overruled by a majority of the Senate. The Vice President will cast the deciding ballot in the event of a tie. A President Pro Tempore may act as President of the Senate in the absense of the Vice President. The President Pro Tempore is a Senate member of the majority party.
III. Consideration
A. The Majority Leader shall bring to the floor only 5 bills for consideration at one time. 1 of those bills must be co-sponsored by a member of the minority.
Voting
A. The Majority Leader is recognized as first to speak. Therefore, he needs no second to call any motion.
B. The Minority Leader is recognized as second to speak. Therefore, he needs no second to call a motion unless the Majority Leader objects before the motion is recognized by the President of the Senate.
C.Others' motions must be seconded within 12 hours.
D. For motions and amendments, the President of the Senate shall assign at least 24 hours.
E. For final voting, the President of the Senate shall assign at least 48 hours. The President of the Senate may extend voting time, but no longer than 72 hours.
F. When a motion for Unanimous consent is called for, there must be 24 hours given for objection. If no objection, the bill passes unanimously.
G. If there is no debate on a bill that is in the floor for a period of 72 hours or greater, the President of the Senate may ask if the body is ready for the question. If a member answers responds in the negative, debate will continue. If no response is obtained within another 72 hours, the debate will be postponed indefinately.
H. A member may change their vote until the President of the Senate closes voting. Then no member may change their vote.
I. The Senate Clerk shall tabulate and maintain a list of voting records of its members.
IV. CLOTURE AND ENDING DEBATE
The procedure for "invoking cloture," or ending a filibuster and debate, is as follows:
A. A minimum of sixteen senators must sign a petition for cloture.
B. On the second calendar day during which the Senate sits after the presentation of the petition, after the Senate has been sitting for one hour, a "quorum call" is undertaken to ensure that a majority of the Senators are present.
C. The President or President pro tempore presents the petition.
D. The Senate votes on the petition; three-fifths of the whole number of Senators (sixty with no vacancies) is the required majority; however, when cloture is invoked on a question of changing the rules of the Senate, two-thirds of the Senators voting (not necessarily two-thirds of all Senators) is the requisite majority.
E. Senate Rule 22 permits procedural filibusters, in which actual continuous floor speeches are not required, although the Senate Majority Leader may require an actual traditional filibuster if he or she so chooses.
F. Budget bills are governed under special rules called "Reconciliation" which do not allow filibusters. The rule is non-applicable in six instances.
(1) if it does not produce a change in outlays or revenues
(2) if it produces an outlay increase or revenue decrease when the instructed committee is not in compliance with its instructions
(3) if it is outside the jurisdiction of the committee that submitted the title or provision for inclusion in the reconciliation measure
(4) if it produces a change in outlays or revenues which is merely incidental to the non-budgetary components of the provision
(5) if it would increase the deficit for a fiscal year beyond those covered by the reconciliation measure
(6) if it recommends changes in Social Security