Standing Rules of the United States Senate

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RULES OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE

 

I. APPOINTMENT OF A SENATOR TO THE CHAIR.

a. In the absence of the Vice President the Senate Majority conference shall choose a President pro tempore, who shall hold the office and execute the duties thereof during the pleasure of the Senate and until another is elected or his term of office as a Senator expires.

b. In the absence of the Vice President, and pending the election of a President pro tempore, the Acting President pro tempore or the Secretary of the Senate, or in his absence the Assistance Secretary, shall perform the duties of the Chair. 

c. The President pro tempore shall have the right to name in open Senate or, if absent, in writing, a Senator to perform the duties of the Chair, including the signing of duly enrolled bills and joint resolutions but such substitution shall not extend beyond an adjournment, except by unanimous consent; and the Senator so named shall have the right to name in open session, or, if absent, in writing, a Senator to perform the duties of the Chair, but not to extend beyond an adjournment, except by unanimous consent. 

II. SUSPENSION AND AMENDMENT OF THE RULES.

a. Any motions to suspend the rules must pass the Senate with a supermajority.

b. The rules of the Senate shall continue from one Congress to the next Congress unless they are changed as provided in these rules.

III. QUORUM.

a. A quorum shall consist of a majority of the Senators duly chosen and sworn. 

b. No Senator shall absent himself from the service of the Senate without leave.

c. If, at any time during the daily sessions of the Senate, a question shall be raised by any Senator as to the presence of a quorum, the Presiding Officer shall forthwith direct the Secretary to call the roll and shall announce the result, and these proceedings shall be without debate.

d. Whenever upon such roll call it shall be ascertained that a quorum is not present a majority of the Senators present may direct the Sergeant at Arms to request, and, when necessary, to compel the attendance of the absent Senators, which order shall be determined without debate; and pending its execution, and until a quorum shall be present, no debate nor motion, except to adjourn, or to recess pursuant to a previous order entered by unanimous consent, shall be in order.

IV. THE CALENDAR AND DOCKETING PROCEDURES.

a. Senate Legislative Calendar. The Senate shall maintain an official Legislative Calendar to organize and schedule the consideration of bills, resolutions, nominations, treaties, and other matters requiring Senate action. The Calendar is divided into sections, including but not limited to:

1. Calendar of General Orders: Lists all measures reported from committees or placed on the calendar by unanimous consent.

2. Executive Calendar: Contains nominations and treaties submitted by the President requiring Senator confirmation or ratification.

3. Calendar of Special Orders: Includes items designated as special orders of business for consideration at specific times.

b. Referral to the Calendar. Measures may be placed directly on the Calendar by unanimous consent or by discharge from committee. 

c. Calendar Numbering. Each item placed on the Calendar shall be assigned a unique calendar number for reference purposes. Items are listed in the order in which they are placed on the Calendar unless otherwise specified by the Majority Leader.

d. Docket.

1. Authority to Docket Bills. The Majority Leader holds the authority to prioritize legislation by placing bills or resolutions on the Docket, a subsection of the Calendar of General Orders designated for prioritized consideration. 

2. Limitation on Docketed Items. The Majority Leader may designate as many bills as they would like at any given time as Docketed Items, as long as no more than five docketed items are being considered on the Senate floor at once. This limitation ensures focused consideration and prevents overloading the Senate's schedule. 

3. Designation Process. To place a bill or resolution on the Docket, the Majority Leader shall submit a written notice to the Presiding Officer specifying the item to be docketed. The Presiding Officer shall, according to the Calendar, place the bill or resolution on the floor of the Senate.

4. Removal from the Docket. A Docketed Item remains on the Docket until:

A. It is considered and disposed of by the Senate.

B. The Majority Leader submits a written notice to remove it.

C. It is displaced due to the docketing of a new item when the docket limit has been reached.

5. Replacing Docketed Items. When the Docket is full, the Majority Leader may replace a Docketed Item by removing an existing one and adding a new item, adhering to the docketed items limit. Notification of such changes must be provided in writing to the President pro tempore and the Senate.

e. Transparency. The Calendar shall reflect current Docketed Items, ensuring all Senators are informed of prioritized legislation. 

f. Consideration of Docketed Items.

1. Priority Scheduling. Docketed Items receive scheduling priority for floor consideration, debate, and voting. The Presiding Officer, in consultation with the Majority Leader, shall call up Docketed Items for consideration in the order designated unless otherwise ordered by the Senate.

2. Debate and Amendments.

A. Debate on Docketed Items proceeds according to standard Senate rules unless modified by unanimous consent or a special order.

B. Amendments to Docketed Items are permitted following normal procedures, maintaining the rights of all Senators.

3. Rights of Other Senators. 

A. While the Majority Leader controls the Docket, any Senator may move to suspend the rules and proceed to the consideration of items on the Calendar not on the Docket. Motions to suspend the rules and consider require a two-thirds majority vote unless otherwise specified.

g. Calendar Call and Management. 

1. Periodic Calendar Call. The Presiding Officer shall, at designated times, conduct a Calendar Call to inform the Senate of pending items. Senators may request unanimous consent to bring up items from the Calendar during this time.

2. Special Orders. 

A. Any subject may, by a vote of two-thirds of the Senators present, be made a special order of business for consideration and when the time so fixed for its consideration arrives the Presiding Officer shall lay it before the Senate, unless there be unfinished business in which case it takes its place on the Calendar of Special Orders in the order of time at which it was made special, to be considered in that order when there is no unfinished business.

B. All motions to change such order, or to proceed to the consideration of other business, shall be decided without debate.

3. Unfinished Business. Unfinished business retains its place on the Calendar and is considered before new items unless reordered by the Senate.

h. Emergency Docketing. In cases of national emergency or urgent necessity, the Majority Leader, after consulting with the Minority Leader, may request unanimous consent to exceed the docket limit for specific legislation. If unanimous consent is not obtained, the Senate may approve the request by a majority of Senators present.

i. Suspension of Limitations. The Senate, by a two-thirds vote of Senators present, may suspend the docket limitations to address pressing matters.

j. Enforcement and Points of Order. 

1. Points of Order.

A. Any Senator may raise a point of order if they believe the docketing procedures or calendar rules are not being followed.

B. Points of order shall be decided promptly by the Presiding Officer, subject to appeal to the Senate.

2. Appeals. Decisions of the President Officer regarding the Calendar and Docket may be appealed and decided by a majority vote of Senators present.

V. AMENDMENTS AND MOTIONS. 

a. Submission and Consideration of Amendments.

1. Specific Motions. 

A. An amendment, and any instruction accompanying a motion to recommit, shall be motioned and read before being debated or voted on.

B. Any motion, amendment, or resolution may be withdrawn or modified by the mover at any time before a decision, amendment, or ordering of the yeas and nays. 

C. A motion to reconsider shall not be withdrawn without permission from the Senate.

2. Division of Questions. If the question in debate contains several propositions, any Senator may have the same divided for separate votes.

VI. RECONSIDERATION.

a. When a question has been decided by the Senate, any Senator voting with the prevailing side or who has not voted may, within 24 hours, move a reconsideration; and if the Senate shall refuse to reconsider such a motion entered, or if such a motion is withdrawn by leave of the Senate, or if upon reconsideration the Senate shall affirm its first decision, no further motion to reconsider shall be in order unless by unanimous consent. Every motion to reconsider shall be decided by a majority vote, and may be laid on the table without affecting the question in reference to which the same is made, which shall be a final disposition of the motion.

b. When a bill, resolution, report, amendment, order, or message, upon which a vote has been taken, shall have gone out of the possession of the Senate and been communicated to the House of Representatives, the motion to reconsider shall be accompanied by a motion to request the House to return the same; which last motion shall be acted upon immediately, and without debate, and if determined in the negative shall be a final disposition of the motion to reconsider.

VII. RULES OF DEBATE.

a. Recognition to Speak. Senators shall address all remarks to the Presiding Officer and avoid direct confrontation or personal attacks against other senators.

b. Filibuster. A filibuster may be initiated by any senator wishing to delay a vote by continuing debate. To maintain the filibuster, the senator must post 250 words every four (4) hours. If no post is made within that time frame, the filibuster ends, and the Senate will proceed to with business. Senate business stops when a filibuster begins. 

c. Cloture Motion. A motion for Cloture (to end debate) requires the support of three-fifths (60%) of senators present. Once Cloture is invoked, debate is limited to thirty (30) minutes, after which the Senate will proceed to a vote.

d. Whip Enforcement. Both the Senate Majority Leader and Senate Minority Leader may issue a Whip Card up to three times per session against any senator who violates a party whip. A senator receiving a Whip Card will see their influence reduced, with their role limited solely to casting their vote for the remainder of consideration on the legislation in which the whip card was used.

e. Decorum in Debate. All remarks during debate must maintain civility and respect. The Presiding Officer may call any senator to order for violating decorum, and persistent offenders may be subject to sanctions or removal from the session.

VIII. VOTING PROCEDURE.

a. Types of Votes. The Senate shall vote using one of the following methods:

1. Voice Vote: Senators verbally express "Aye" or "Nay" or "Present" to indicate their position.

2. Roll Call Vote: Each senator’s name is called, and their vote is individually recorded.

3. Unanimous Consent: If no senator objects to a motion, it may be approved without a formal vote.

b. Majority Vote: Most legislation requires a simple majority (50% +1) of senators present and voting to pass.

c. Supermajority Vote: Matters such as overriding a presidential veto, approving constitutional amendments, or a motion suspending the rules require a two-thirds (67%) majority.

IX. SESSION WITH CLOSED DOORS.

a. On a motion made and seconded to close the doors of the Senate, on the discussion of any business which may, in the opinion of a Senator, require secrecy, the Presiding Officer shall direct the galleries to be cleared; and during the discussion of such motion the doors shall remain closed.

b. When the Senate meets in closed session, confidentiality of information shall apply to any information and to the conduct of any debate transacted.

X. PRECEDENCE OF MOTIONS.

a. When a question is pending, no motion shall be received but

1. To adjourn.

2. To adjourn to a day certain, or that when the Senate adjourn it shall be to a day certain.

3. To take a recess.

4. To proceed to the consideration of executive business.

5. To lay on the table.

6. To postpone indefinitely.

7. To postpone to a day certain.

8. To commit.

9. To amend.

Which several motions shall have precedence as they stand arranged; and the motions relating to adjournment, to take a recess, to proceed to the consideration of executive business, to lay on the table, shall be decided without debate.

XI. COMMITTEES.

a. Establishment of Committees. The Majority Leader may create additional committees temporarily or long-term at his prerogative. The Senate may, by a motion, establish a committee. 

b. Conference Committee. When the Senate has passed legislation that later passes the House in different form and vice versa, the Senate Majority Leader, the Senate Minority Leader representing the Senate, and the Party Chairmen representing the House come together in conference committee to pass legislation. The finalized legislation is then subject to a 24 hour simple majority vote simultaneously in both chambers. The {Congressional Administrator} presides over Conference Committee.

c. Committee Procedures.

1. Committee Structure: Senators may be assigned to committees focused on specific policy areas (e.g., finance, judiciary). Each committee shall be chaired by a senator, who will manage the committee’s business, including bill hearings and amendments. Committees are initiated by the Senate Majority Leader. There shall be a total of two majority party Senators and one minority party Senators to compose any committee of the Senate.

2. Committee Hearings: Committees may convene hearings to discuss proposed legislation. Senators may invite expert testimony and debate the merits of the bill. Hearings can be initiated by the Senate Majority Leader. 

XII. FINAL PASSAGE OF BILLS. 

a. Final Vote: Once all debate and amendments are concluded, the Senate shall proceed to a final vote on the bill. A simple majority is required for the bill to pass unless a higher threshold is required (e.g., constitutional amendments).

b. Reconsideration of Votes: A senator who voted with the prevailing side on any issue may move to reconsider the vote. The motion to reconsider requires a simple majority to pass.

XIII. AMENDING THE RULES.

These standing rules may be amended by a simple majority vote of the Senate. Proposed amendments must be submitted in writing and debated before a vote.

Passed Q1, 2025

Edited Sunday at 02:15 AM by Brink