Order Code RL30788
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Parliamentary Reference Sources: Senate
Updated March 16, 2004
Thomas P. Carr
Analyst in American National Government
Government and Finance Division
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress
Parliamentary Reference Sources: Senate
Summary
The Senate’s procedures are determined not only by its standing rules, but also
by its standing orders, published precedents, committee rules, and informal practices.
Constitutional mandates and rule-making statutes also impose procedural
requirements on the Senate, and rules of the Senate’s party conferences can
sometimes affect committee and floor action. Parliamentary reference sources
provide information about how and when these foundations of Senate procedure
govern different parliamentary situations.
This report discusses the availability and format of three types of Senate
parliamentary reference materials: official sources such as the Senate Manual and
Riddick’s Senate Procedure; publications of committees and offices of the Senate;
and the rules of the party conferences. The report also reviews some key principles
of Senate parliamentary procedure to keep in mind when analyzing information from
parliamentary reference sources. One of the most important principles is that the
Senate frequently agrees to set aside its rules and consider measures under the terms
of unanimous consent agreements. The central role of unanimous consent
agreements in Senate floor proceedings is emphasized in many of the reference
sources covered in this report.
The appendices provide citations to each reference source described in this
report, a list of relevant Congressional Research Service (CRS) products, and a
summary of Senate parliamentary reference information available through the
Internet.
This report assumes a basic familiarity with Senate procedures. Information
about House parliamentary reference sources is provided in CRS Report RL30787,
Parliamentary Reference Sources: House of Representatives.
Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Important Principles of Senate Parliamentary Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Multiple Sources of Senate Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Constitutional Rule-Making Authority of the Senate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Enforcing the Senate Rules and Precedents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
The Senate’s Reliance on Unanimous Consent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
The Importance of Precedents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
The Senate’s Unofficial Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Official Senate Parliamentary Reference Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Standing Rules of the Senate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Senate Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Standing Orders
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Constitution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Riddick’s Senate Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Rule-Making Statutes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Committee Rules of Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Publications of Committees and Offices of the Senate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Budget Process Law Annotated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
U.S. Senate Handbook (Chapter 3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Senate Cloture Rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Treaties and Other International Agreements: The Role of the
United States Senate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Enactment of a Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
How Our Laws Are Made . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Rules of the Senate’s Party Conferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Appendix A: Senate Parliamentary Reference Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Official Reference Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Publications of Committees and Offices of the Senate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
CRS Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Appendix B: Senate Parliamentary Reference Information Available
Through the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Legislative Information System of the U.S Congress (LIS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
CRS Guides to Congressional Processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
GPO Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Other Library of Congress Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Other Senate Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Parliamentary Reference Sources: Senate
Introduction
The Senate’s procedures are not based solely on its standing rules. The
foundations of Senate procedure also include the body’s standing orders, published
precedents, committee rules, and unofficial practices. Constitutional mandates and
rule-making statutes impose procedural requirements on the Senate, and rules of the
Senate’s party conferences can sometimes affect committee and floor action. Various
reference sources provide information about how and when these foundations of
Senate procedures govern specific parliamentary situations. This report discusses
three types of reference sources:
! official sources such as the Senate Manual, Riddick’s Senate
Procedure, rule-making statutes, and the rules adopted by Senate
committees;
! publications of committees (e.g., Budget Process Law Annotated, a
print issued by the Senate Budget Committee) and offices (e.g.,
Enactment of a Law, a document prepared by the Senate
parliamentarian) of the Senate; and
! rules of the Senate’s party conferences.
This report begins by reviewing some important principles of Senate
parliamentary procedure to keep in mind when using and evaluating information
from parliamentary reference sources. Next, the report describes the contents and
format of key reference sources. Sample pages from the official reference sources
are provided. Information on how to access each reference source, including any
versions available through the Internet, is presented in boxes following the
description of each source. Appendix A furnishes citations for each reference source
described in this report and for relevant Congressional Research Service (CRS)
products. A summary of Senate parliamentary reference information available
through the Internet is provided in Appendix B.
Official guidance on Senate procedure is available from the Office of the Senate
Parliamentarian (4-6128). CRS staff (7-5700) also can assist with clarifying Senate
rules and procedures.
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Important Principles of Senate Parliamentary
Procedure
When using parliamentary reference materials, the reader should bear in mind
that the following principles of Senate procedure remain constant regardless of the
parliamentary situation: Senate procedures derive from multiple sources; the Senate
has the constitutional power to make its own rules of procedure; Senators often must
initiate enforcement of their rules; the Senate conducts much of its business by
unanimous consent; the Senate usually follows its precedents; and the Senate adheres
to many informal practices. Each of these principles is discussed below.
Multiple Sources of Senate Procedures
The standing rules of the Senate may be the most obvious source of Senate
parliamentary procedure, but they are by no means the only one. Other sources of
Senate procedures include
! requirements imposed by the Constitution, particularly those in
Article I, Section 5;
! standing orders of the Senate;
! precedents of the Senate;
! rule-making provisions in statutes (hereafter referred to as “rule-
making statutes”);
! rules of procedure adopted by each committee;
! rules of the Senate’s party conferences; and
! informal practices that the Senate adheres to by custom.
To answer a question about Senate procedure, it often is necessary to take
account of several of these sources. For example, Rule XIX of the Senate’s standing
rules provides that “the presiding officer shall recognize the Senator who shall first
address him.”1 However, when several Senators seek recognition at the same time,
there is a precedent that “priority of recognition shall be accorded to the majority
leader and minority leader, the majority manager and minority manager, in that
order.”2 This precedent sometimes can have significant consequences on the Senate
floor. For example, it gives the majority leader the opportunity to offer the
debate-ending motions to table, or to propose second-degree amendments to
“unfriendly” first-degree amendments.
1 Rule XIX, in Senate Manual, 107th Cong., 1st sess., S.Doc. 107-1 (Washington: GPO,
2002), p. 18.
2 Riddick’s Senate Procedure, 101st Cong., 2nd sess., S.Doc. 101-28 (Washington: GPO,
1992), p. 1098.
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Constitutional Rule-Making Authority of the Senate
Article I of the Constitution gives the Senate the authority to determine its rules
of procedure. There are two dimensions to the Senate’s constitutional rule-making
authority. First, the Senate can decide what rules should govern its procedures. The
Senate exercises this rule-making power when it adopts an amendment to the
standing rules, or creates a new standing rule, by majority vote. The Senate also uses
its rule-making power when it creates standing orders, and when it enacts rule-
making provisions of statutes such as the Congressional Budget and Impoundment
Act of 1974. Standing orders and rule-making provisions of law have the same
standing and effect as the Senate’s standing rules because all are created through an
exercise of the Senate’s constitutional rule-making authority.
The second dimension to the Senate’s rule-making authority is that the chamber
can decide when its rules of procedure should not govern. In practical terms, this
means the Senate can waive its rules by unanimous consent, or suspend its rules by
a two-thirds vote under a rarely-used provision of Rule V. The Senate cannot waive
its rules by majority vote, an option that is available to the House through the
adoption of a “special rule.”3 However, the Senate can achieve the effect of waiving
a rule by majority vote if it votes to overrule the presiding officer’s decision to
sustain a point of order, or if it votes against sustaining a point of order in those cases
where the presiding officer submits a question of order to the full body.4
Enforcing the Senate Rules and Precedents
The Senate’s presiding officer (whether it is the Vice President or a Senator of
the majority party) does not always call to the chamber’s attention that a violation of
Senate rules is taking place.5 The Senate often can violate its procedures unless a
Senator makes a point of order at the right moment that the proposed action violates
the standing rules or precedents, a constitutional provision, or a source of procedure
that has the same authority as a standing rule (i.e., standing order, rule-making
statute, or unanimous consent agreement).
When a point of order is raised, the presiding officer usually makes a ruling
without debate. Under Rule XX, the presiding officer has the option of submitting
“any question of order for the decision of the Senate.” He rarely does this, but may
do so if the existing rules and precedents do not speak clearly on the parliamentary
3 Special rules are resolutions reported by the House Rules Committee that usually specify
how a measure is to be considered on the floor. Once the House adopts a special rule by a
majority vote, it governs consideration of the measure. Special rules often waive procedural
requirements imposed by the rules of the House or rule-making statutes.
4 There is a procedure by which the Senate can vote to waive certain budget-related
prohibitions and requirements by majority vote or by a three-fifths vote of all Senators.
5 An important exception occurs when the Senate is operating under cloture. When this
happens, the precedents provide that the presiding officer has the authority to rule all
dilatory motions out of order on his own initiative.
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question at hand. In such cases, the presiding officer will often invite debate on the
question of order.
The presiding officer must submit two types of questions of order to the Senate
for it to decide. First, under Rule XVI, paragraph 4, the Senate decides questions
concerning the germaneness or relevance of most amendments to appropriations bills,
and does so without debate. Second, according to the Senate’s precedents, the Senate
decides all constitutional questions, with debate usually allowed.6
Any Senator can appeal the ruling of the presiding officer on a question of order.
The Senate then decides, usually by majority vote, to uphold or overturn the presiding
officer’s decision. This vote usually establishes a precedent that guides the presiding
officer in deciding future questions of order, unless and until this precedent is
overturned by another decision of the Senate or by a rules change.7 Some rule-
making statutes require a super-majority vote to overturn on appeal the presiding
officer’s ruling on a point order (e.g., Section 313 of the Congressional Budget Act,
P.L. 93-344, the so-called “Byrd Rule”).
Senators are much more likely than Representatives to appeal decisions of their
presiding officer. This difference in the practices of the two chambers is largely
explained by the fact that the Speaker of the House, the elected leader of the majority
party, presides over the proceedings of the House of Representatives.8 An appeal of
the Speaker’s decision on a point of order could thus be viewed as a vote against his
leadership. This situation does not arise in the Senate, because its majority leader
does not preside over the Senate’s proceedings.
Parliamentary actions taken on the basis of an informal practice, or a rule of one
of the Senate’s party conferences, are not enforceable on the Senate floor. While
informal practices and party conference rules can affect Senate committee and floor
action, they are not invoked through an exercise of the Senate’s constitutional rule-
making authority; hence, they do not have the same authority as Senate rules and
procedures. Informal practices evolve over the years as custom, and party conference
rules are adopted and enforced by each party.
The Senate’s Reliance on Unanimous Consent
The Senate’s standing rules emphasize the rights of individual Senators, in
particular by granting each Senator the right to debate at length, and the right to offer
amendments that are not germane or relevant to the bill under consideration. It
would be impossible for the Senate to act on legislation in a timely fashion if
6 Riddick’s Senate Procedure, pp. 989 and 1491-1492.
7 The precedential effect of a Senate vote on a question of order and subsequent related
action is analyzed in CRS Report RS20276, S.Res. 160: Rule XVI and Reversing the
Hutchison and FedEx Precedents, by Paul S. Rundquist.
8 The Speaker appoints a member of the majority party to preside when the House meets in
the Committee of the Whole.
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Senators always exercised these two powerful rights. For this and other reasons, the
Senate often agrees by unanimous consent to operate outside its standing rules.
In practice, Senate business is frequently conducted under unanimous consent
agreements, otherwise known as “time agreements” because they usually limit the
time for debating measures, amendments, motions or other questions. These
agreements also may structure the amendment process and require the germaneness
or relevance of amendments. Because it takes only one Senator to object to a
unanimous consent agreement, each agreement is carefully crafted by the majority
leader, in consultation with the minority leader, leaders of the committee that
reported the bill in question, and other Senators who have indicated a particular
interest in the legislation. Unanimous consent agreements are used to bring up a
measure,9 to define how the measure will be considered on the floor, and to control
how the Senate will consider individual amendments. Unanimous consent
agreements that remain in effect are printed at the front of the Senate’s daily
“Calendar of Business” as well as in the Congressional Record.
Unanimous consent agreements have the same authority as the Senate’s standing
rules and are enforceable on the Senate floor. They have the effect of changing “all
Senate rules and precedents that are contrary to the terms of the agreement.”10 One
could argue that unanimous consent agreements are even stronger than the standing
rules because these agreements can be changed only by unanimous consent; this is
a stiffer threshold than the majority vote requirement for changing the Senate’s
standing rules.
The Importance of Precedents
The published precedents of the Senate discuss how the Senate has interpreted
and applied its rules. The precedents both complement and supplement the rules of
the Senate. As illustrated earlier by the example of according priority recognition to
the majority leader, the close interplay between the precedents and the standing rules
often makes it necessary to consult the precedents for guidance on how rules are to
be understood.
Precedents are analogous to case law in their effect. Just as attorneys in court
will cite previous judicial decisions to support their arguments, Senators will cite
precedents of the Senate to support a point of order, or defend against one, or to
argue for or against an appeal of the presiding officer’s ruling on a point of order.
Similarly, the presiding officer will often support his or her ruling by citing the
precedents. In this way, precedents influence the manner in which current Senate
rules are applied by relating past decisions to the specific case before the chamber.
9 A body of precedents has developed on how unanimous consent agreements are to be
interpreted and applied in different procedural situations. These precedents are covered in
Riddick’s Senate Procedure, pp. 1311-1369. The majority leader often calls up a measure
by unanimous consent rather than by offering a motion to proceed to consideration of the
measure. This motion is usually debatable, and hence open to a filibuster.
10 Riddick’s Senate Procedure, p. 1311.
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Precedents usually are established when the Senate votes on questions of order
(i.e., a vote on a point of order that the presiding officer has submitted to the body,
or a vote on whether to uphold or overturn a ruling of the presiding officer), or when
the presiding officer decides a question of order and this ruling is not appealed.
Historically, the Senate follows such precedents until “the Senate in its wisdom
should reverse or modify that decision.”11 Precedents also can be created when the
presiding officer responds to a parliamentary inquiry.
Precedents do not carry equal weight. Precedents based on a vote of the Senate
have more weight than those based on the presiding officer’s rulings. Responses of
the presiding officer to parliamentary inquiries have even less weight. In addition,
more recent precedents generally have greater weight than earlier ones, and a
precedent that reflects an established pattern of rulings will have more weight than
a precedent that is isolated in its effect. All precedents also must be evaluated in the
historical context of the Senate’s rules and practices at the time the precedents were
established. Senators seeking precedents to support or rebut an argument may
consult the Senate Parliamentarian’s Office (4-6128).
The Senate’s published precedents are not as voluminous as those of the House.
House precedents are set forth in several extensive publications: Deschler’s
Precedents of the U.S. House of Representatives; Hinds’ and Cannon’s Precedents
of the House of Representatives; Cannon’s Procedure in the House of
Representatives; House Rules and Manual; House Practice: A Guide to the Rules,
Precedents and Procedures of the House; and Procedure in the U.S. House of
Representatives and its two supplements. The Senate’s precedents, by contrast are
contained in one publication, Riddick’s Senate Procedure. However, the brevity of
the Senate’s standing rules make its precedents particularly important.
The Senate’s Unofficial Practices
Some Senate procedural actions are based on unofficial practices that have
evolved over the years and become accepted custom. These practices do not have the
same standing as the chamber’s rules, nor are they compiled in any written source of
authority. Although these unofficial practices cannot be enforced on the Senate floor,
many of them are well established and customarily followed.
Some contemporary examples of unofficial practices include respecting “holds”
that individual Senators sometimes place on consideration of specific measures, and
giving the majority leader or his designee the prerogative to offer motions to proceed
to the consideration of a bill, to recess, or to adjourn.
11 Riddick’s Senate Procedure, p. 987.
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Official Senate Parliamentary Reference Sources
Official Senate parliamentary reference sources provide an authoritative account
of Senate rules, procedures, and precedents. Senators often cite these official
reference sources when raising a point order or defending against one. The following
official sources are described in this section, with excerpts presented from each:
! Standing Rules of the Senate;
! Senate Manual;
! standing orders of the Senate;
! Constitution;
! Riddick’s Senate Procedure;
! rule-making statutes; and
! committee rules.
As discussed earlier, unanimous consent agreements, like the Senate’s standing
rules, are enforceable on the Senate floor. Unanimous consent agreements are
printed in the Senate’s daily “Calendar of Business.”
Information on how to consult each official reference source, including any
versions available through the Internet, is presented in a box after the source’s
description. Internet addresses are provided in brackets (e.g., [http://rules.senate.gov/
senaterules/menu.htm]). The name of the Internet service is listed in bold type.
Appendices A and B summarize the information presented in the boxes.
This report also presents an excerpt from each printed source, which shows its
format and is annotated to indicate special features and components. Although some
of these excerpts do not reflect the most recent, current edition of the source in
question, they illustrate the same format and other features retained in the current
editions.
Standing Rules of the Senate
At the start of the 108th Congress, there were 43 standing rules of the Senate.
Unlike the House, the Senate is a continuing body with only one-third of its
membership up for election every two years; as a result, the Senate does not readopt
its standing rules at the beginning of each Congress. Changes to the Senate’s
standing rules are proposed in the form of Senate resolutions. These resolutions must
be adopted by majority vote.
The Senate Committee on Rules and Administration periodically issues a
document that contains the standing rules. The most recent edition is Standing Rules
of the Senate (Senate Document 106-15). Footnotes indicate any standing rules that
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have changed since the last general revision of the Senate’s rules in 1979. These
footnotes cite the resolution adopted by the Senate to make the rules change. An
index is provided at the end of the document. The Senate’s standing rules also
appear in the Senate Manual (discussed in next section).
Reprinted on the opposite page is the text of Rule IV from the most recent
edition of the Standing Rules of the Senate.12
When published, the Standing Rules of the Senate document is distributed to
the offices of Senators and committees. Some copies also are available from
the Senate Document Room.
Internet: The Senate’s standing rules (with no footnotes or index) are
available through the
! Senate’s WWW service at
[http://rules.senate.gov/senaterules/menu.htm];
! CRS Guides to Congressional Process site at
[http://www.crs.gov/products/guides/guidehome.shtml];
! Library of Congress U.S. Legislative Branch page at
[http://thomas.loc.gov/home/legbranch/legbranch.html].
12 Standing Rules of the Senate, Senate Document 106-15, p. 4.
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Page number in the Standing
Rules of the Senate document.
4
(b) Whenever the Senate is proceeding under paragraph 2 of rule
XXII, the reading of the Journal shall be dispensed with and shall
be considered approved to date.
(c) The proceedings of the Senate shall be briefly and accurately
stated on the Journal. Messages of the President in full; titles of
bills and resolutions, and such parts as shall be affected by pro-
posed amendments; every vote, and a brief statement of the con-
tents of each petition, memorial, or paper presented to the Senate,
shall be entered.
(d)The legislative, the executive, the confidential legislative pro-
ceedings, and the proceedings when sitting as a Court of Impeach-
ment, shall each be recorded in a separate book.
2. During a session of the Senate when that body is in contin-
uous session, the presiding officer shall temporarily suspend the
business of the Senate at noon each day for the purpose of having
the customary daily prayer by the Chaplain.
RULE V
Standing rule number.
SUSPENSION AND AMENDMENT OF THE RULES
Paragraph 1
of Rule V.
1. No motion to suspend, modify, or amend any rule, or any part
thereof, shall be in order, except on one day’s notice in writing,
specifying precisely the rule or part proposed to be suspended,
modified, or amended, and the purpose thereof. Any rule may be
suspended without notice by the unanimous consent of the Senate,
except as otherwise provided by the rules.
2. The rules of the Senate shall continue from one Congress to
the next Congress unless they are changed as provided in these
rules.
RULE VI
QUORUM — ABSENT SENATORS MAY BE SENT FOR
1. A quorum shall consist of a majority of the Senators duly cho-
Topic of Rule VI.
sen and sworn.
2. No Senator shall absent himself from the service of the Senate
without leave.
3. If, at any time during the daily sessions of the Senate, a ques-
tion 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.
4. Whenever upon such roll call it shall be ascertained that a
quorum is not present, a majority of the Senators present may di-
rect the Sergeant at Arms to request, and, when necessary, to com-
pel 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.
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Senate Manual
The Senate Manual, compiled by the Senate Rules and Administration
Committee, typically contains the following parliamentary reference sources:13
! Standing rules. The rules appear with footnotes in the same
manner as in the Standing Rules of the Senate; an index is provided.
! Standing orders adopted by Senate resolution. Each standing
order appears with a headnote summarizing the subject and a citation
to the Senate resolution(s) creating and amending the order; no index
is provided.
! “General and Permanent Laws Relating to the U.S. Senate” (the
Senate Manual uses this title). Laws affecting the operations and
procedures of the Senate, including rule-making statues, appear in
their codified version (i.e., organized under the relevant title, chapter
and section of the United States Code); a table of contents is
provided, but there in no index.
! Constitution and its amendments. Bold brackets are placed
around text in the Constitution that has been amended, and a citation
directs readers to the Manual section containing the amendment;
there are historical footnotes about the ratification of each
amendment; an index is provided.
Throughout the Manual, portions of text (e.g., each paragraph of each standing
rule) are assigned Manual section numbers that always appear in bold type. Both the
special indexes and the Manual’s general index direct readers to these section
numbers. For example, the indexes indicate that the motion to adjourn is covered in
the Manual sections numbered 6.4, 9, and 22.1. The indexes should be examined
thoroughly to find all pertinent citations.
When published, the Senate Manual is distributed to offices of Senators and
committees; limited copies are available from the Senate Document Room.
The Senate Manual also can be consulted at the CRS Senate Reference Center
(B-05, Russell Senate Office building).
Internet: The full text of the Senate Manual (Senate Document 107-1) can be
searched online through GPO Access, a WWW service of the Government
Printing Office, at [http://www.gpoaccess.gov/smanual/index.html].
13 This report does not describe all the material included in the Senate Manual. The Senate
Manual excerpts appearing in the report were taken from the 103rd Congress edition, S. Doc.
103-1, (Washington: GPO, 1993). These excerpts illustrate the same format and other
features retained in the most recent edition, (S.Doc. 107-1).
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Standing Orders
From time to time, the Senate adopts a resolution or agrees to a unanimous
consent request to create a standing order of the Senate. A standing order, while not
embraced in the standing rules, operates with the same authority as a standing rule.
As such, standing orders are enforceable on the Senate floor. Standing orders govern
until they are repealed by the Senate or until a time specified in an order.
Standing orders created by the adoption of resolutions are compiled in the
Senate Manual. For each standing order, the Senate Manual provides a headnote
summarizing the order’s subject matter, the text of the order, and a citation to the
Senate resolution(s) creating and amending the order. (A citation to the Senate
Journal is sometimes provided, usually for older standing orders.) Footnotes provide
supplementary information, such as when references in the standing order (e.g., name
of a committee) were changed. Reprinted on the next page is a standing order on the
authority of the Committee on Appropriations, as it appears in the Senate Manual.14
The Senate also agrees to unanimous consent requests to create standing orders
of the Senate. These agreements usually govern for the duration of a Congress. The
agreements are not printed in the Senate Manual; they appear only in the
Congressional Record on the day they are adopted. The majority of these unanimous
consent agreements are adopted during the opening days of a new Congress. For
example, on the first day of the 106th Congress, the Senate adopted 11 unanimous
consent agreements that function as standing orders. One of these agreements
created a standing order establishing a period of “leader time” on each calendar day.
During this time period, the majority and minority leaders discuss matters such as the
legislative schedule and policy views. All 11 unanimous consent agreements appear
on the Congressional Record excerpt below.15
14 “Standing Orders of the Senate”, in Senate Manual, S.Doc. 103-1, p. 106.
15 Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 145 (Jan. 6, 1999), pp. S5-S6.
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S5-S6 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE January 6, 1999
UNANIMOUS-CONSENT AGREE-
Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask
the Senate be authorized to make technical
MENTS EN BLOC — STANDING
unanimous consent that the Majority and
and clerical corrections in the engrossment
ORDERS
Minority Leaders may daily have up to 10
of all Senate-passed bills and resolutions,
minutes each on each calendar day
Senate amendments to House bills and
Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, the following
following the prayer and disposition of the
resolutions, Senate amendments to House
unanimous consent requests are those of
reading of, or approval of, the Journal.
amendments to Senate bills and resolutions
the standing orders — for example, setting
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without
and Senate amendments to House
the leader’s time each day — which are
objection, it is so ordered.
amendments to Senate amendments to
obtained at the beginning of each
House bills or resolutions.
Congress, which govern the day-to-day
STANDING ORDER FOR FLOOR
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without
activity. As in the past, these consents have
PRIVILEGES TO HOUSE PARLIA-
objection, it is so ordered.
been cleared by the Democratic leader.
MENTARIAN
Therefore, I send to the desk 11 unanimous
STANDING ORDER FOR CERTAIN
consent requests and ask for their
Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask
ACTIONS BY OFFICERS OF THE
immediate consideration en bloc, that the
u n a n i m o u s c o n s e n t t h a t t h e
SENATE
re-quests be agreed to en bloc, and that the
Parliamentarian of the House of
various consents be shown separately in
Representatives and his four assistants be
Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask
the RECORD.
given the privilege of the floor during the
unanimous consent that for the duration of
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. With-out
106th Congress.
the 106th Congress, when the Senate is in
objection, it is so ordered.
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without
recess or adjournment, the Secretary of the
objection, it is so ordered.
Senate be authorized to receive messages
STANDING ORDER FOR ETHICS
from the President of the United States,
COMMITTEE TO MEET
STANDING ORDER CONCERNING
and — with the exception of House bills,
PRINTING OF CONFERENCE
joint resolutions, and concurrent
Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask
REPORTS AND STATEMENTS
resolutions — messages from the House of
unanimous consent that for the duration of
Representatives; and that they be
the 106th Congress, the Ethics Commit-tee
Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unan-
appropriately referred; and that the
be authorized to meet during the session of
imous consent that, notwithstanding
President of the Senate, the President pro
the Senate.
the provisions of Rule XXVIII, conference
tempore, and the Acting President pro
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. With-out
reports and statements accompanying them
tempore be authorized to sign duly
objection, it is so ordered.
not be printed as Senate reports when such
enrolled bills and joint resolutions.
conference reports and statements have
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without
STANDING ORDER FOR 15-MINUTE
been printed as a House report unless
objection, it is so ordered.
ROLLCALL VOTES
specific request is made in the Senate in
each instance to have such a report
STANDING ORDER FOR GRANTING
Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask
printed.
OF FLOOR PRIVILEGES
unanimous consent that for the duration of
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without
the 106th Congress, there be a limitation of
objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask
15 minutes each upon any roll-call vote,
unanimous consent that for the duration of
with the warning signal to be sounded at
STANDING ORDER FOR ACTION BY
the 106th Congress, Senators be allowed to
the midway point, beginning at the last 7 1
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
leave at the desk with the Journal Clerk
/2 minutes, and when rollcall votes are of
the names of two staff members who will
10-minute duration, the warning signal be
Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask
be granted the privilege of the floor during
sounded at the beginning of the last 7 1 /2
unanimous consent that the Committee on
the consideration of the specific matter
minutes.
Appropriations be authorized during the
noted, and that the Sergeant at Arms be
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. With-out
106th Congress to file reports during
instructed to rotate such staff members as
objection, it is so ordered.
adjournments or recesses of the
space allows.
Senate on appropriation bills, including
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without
STANDING ORDER FOR SECRETARY
joint resolutions, together with any
objection, it is so ordered.
OF THE SENATE TO RECEIVE
accompanying notices of motions to
REPORTS
suspend Rule XVI, pursuant to Rule V, for
STANDING ORDER FOR REFERRAL
the purpose of offering certain
OF TREATIES AND NOMINATIONS
Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask
amendments to such bills or joint reso-
unanimous consent that for the duration of
lutions, which proposes amendments
Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask
the Congress, it be in order for the
shall be printed.
unanimous consent that for the duration of
Secretary of the Senate to receive reports
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without
the 106th Congress, it be in order to refer
at the desk when presented by a Senator at
objection, it is so ordered.
treaties and nominations on the day when
any time during the day of the
they are received from the President, even
session of the Senate.
STANDING ORDER FOR SECRETARY
when the Senate has no executive session
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without
OF THE SENATE TO MAKE CERTAIN
that day.
objection, it is so ordered.
CORRECTIONS
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without
objection, it is so ordered.
STANDING ORDER FOR PROVISION
Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask
OF LEADERSHIP TIME
unanimous consent that, for the duration
of the 106th Congress, the Secretary of
CRS-14
Constitution
The Constitution imposes several procedural requirements on the Senate. For
example, Article I, Section 5 requires the Senate to keep and publish an official
Journal of its proceedings, and mandates that a quorum be present to conduct
business on the Senate floor and that a yea and nay vote take place upon the request
of one-fifth of the Senators present.
The Constitution also bestows certain exclusive powers on the Senate: Article
II, Section 2 grants the Senate sole authority to advise and consent to treaties and
executive nominations; and Article I, Section 3 gives the Senate the sole power to try
all impeachments.16 Detailed information about the Senate’s advice and consent role
is provided in Treaties and Other International Agreements: The Role of the United
States Senate (Senate Print 106-71), which is described later in this report.
Reprinted on the next page is an excerpt from Article I of the Constitution, as
it appears in the Senate Manual.17
The Constitution and its amendments are printed in the Senate Manual.
Internet:
LIS Home Page
[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/const/const.html]
Provides a link to a searchable version of the Constitution and its
amendments through THOMAS, the public access Web service of the Library
of Congress. (A link to the amendments appears at the top of this Web page.)
GPO Access
[http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/senate/constitution/index.html]
A searchable version of The Constitution of the United States of America,
Analysis and Interpretation, prepared by CRS, is available on the GPO website.
It includes references to decisions of the Supreme Court.
16 See the “Rules of Procedure and Practice in the Senate When Sitting on Impeachment
Trials” in sections 140-165 of the Senate Manual, S.Doc. 107-1, pp. 175-183. Also, see
Procedure and Guidelines for Impeachment Trials in the United States Senate (not
described in this report), 99th Cong., 2nd sess., S.Doc. 99-33, for information on the Senate’s
rules, procedures, and precedents for impeachment proceedings.
17 Constitution of the United States, in Senate Manual, S.Doc. 103-1, p. 825.
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Riddick’s Senate Procedure
Riddick’s Senate Procedure is the most valuable reference source on Senate
rules, precedents, and practices. Published in 1992, this volume presents significant
Senate precedents established from 1883 to 1992. Riddick’s Senate Procedure was
written by Floyd M. Riddick, parliamentarian of the Senate from 1964 to1974, and
Alan S. Frumin, parliamentarian of the Senate from 1987 to 1995 and senior assistant
parliamentarian since 1995. The book is an updated and revised version of the 1981
edition of Senate Procedure, written by Riddick.
The 1992 publication is organized around topics of Senate procedure which are
presented in alphabetical order. There are no chapters in Riddick’s Senate
Procedure. For each procedural topic, the book reviews the general principles
governing that procedure, and provides the text of the relevant standing rule(s) or
rule-making provision(s). Summaries of individual precedents are then presented
under subject headings organized in alphabetical order. The summaries rarely exceed
one sentence. Many of the subject headings are further divided into more detailed
topics. For example, the topic “Cloture Procedure” has a subject heading
“Amendments After Cloture” which is further divided into 18 topics, such as
“Drafted Improperly” and “Filing of Amendments.”
Footnotes provide citations to the date, the Congress, and the session when
precedents were established, and to the Congressional Record or Senate Journal
pages where readers can locate the full text of procedural exchanges (e.g., “July 28,
1916, 64-1, Record, pp. 11748-50”). Footnote citations beginning with the word
“see” indicate precedents based on presiding officers’ responses to parliamentary
inquiries; citations without “see” indicate precedents created by ruling of the
presiding officers or by votes of the Senate.
The appendix contains sample floor dialogues showing the terminology that
Senators and the presiding officer use in different parliamentary situations.
Examples of established forms used in the Senate (e.g., for various types of
conference reports, the motion to invoke cloture) also are provided. Useful
supplementary information appears in brackets throughout the appendix.
The publication’s main index is useful for locating information on specific
topics of Senate procedure. The appendix has a separate index. The table of contents
lists only the main procedural topics covered in the book.
Reprinted on the following pages are excerpts from the “Cloture Procedure”
section in Riddick’s Senate Procedure, and the appendix.
Riddick’s Senate Procedure is automatically distributed to new Senators. The
publication also can be consulted in the CRS Senate Reference Center (B-05,
Russell Senate Office Building). Copies are no longer available from GPO.
CRS-17
CRS-18
CRS-19
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Rule-Making Statutes
The term “rule-making statute” refers to a public law that has provisions
specifying legislative procedures to be followed in the Senate or the House, or both.
Because these procedures are created through an exercise of each chamber’s
constitutional rule-making authority, they have the same standing as Senate and
House rules. Most rule-making statutes have a section titled “Exercise of Rule-
Making Power,” which states that certain provisions of the law “shall be considered
as part of the rules of each House.”18 Three of the most important rule-making
statutes define specific procedures for considering budgetary legislation: the
Congressional Budget and Impoundment Act of 1974 (commonly known as the
Congressional Budget Act), the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act
(the so-called “Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act”), and the Budget Enforcement Act of
1990. For example, Section 305(b) of the Congressional Budget Act defines Senate
floor procedures for considering annual budget resolutions. An excerpt from Section
305(b) appears on the following page.
Rule-making provisions related to the congressional budget process, and
relevant Senate precedents, are presented in Riddick’s Senate Procedure (pages
502-642), and in Budget Process Law Annotated (discussed later in this report).
The Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (P.L. 79-601, 60 Stat. 812) and the
Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970 (P.L. 91-510, 84 Stat. 1140) are important
rule-making statutes that affected legislative procedures. Many rule-making
provisions in these statutes were later incorporated into the Senate’s standing rules.
Another type of rule-making statute, commonly referred to as a “congressional
disapproval statute,” defines special procedures for congressional approval or
disapproval of specified actions proposed to be taken by the executive branch or
independent agencies. For example, rule-making provisions in the Trade Act of 1974
established fast-track procedures for considering legislation approving trade
agreements.
Congressional disapproval statutes are discussed on pages 496-501 of Riddick’s
Senate Procedure. In addition, the rule-making provisions of 31 such statutes
are presented in the House Rules and Manual for the 107th Congress (House
Document 107-284) on pages 1043-1200.
18 For example, Section 904(a)(1) of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Act of
1974, P.L. 93-344.
CRS-22
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Committee Rules of Procedure
Rule XXVI, paragraph 2, of the Senate’s standing rules requires that each
standing committee adopt written rules of procedure and publish these rules in the
Congressional Record no later than March 1 of the first session of each Congress.19
In addition, any amendments to committee rules do not take effect until they are
published in the Congressional Record. Committee rules cover important aspects of
the committee stage of the legislative process, such as referral of legislation to
subcommittees, quorum and voting requirements, markups, and preparation of
committee reports. Subcommittees also may have their own supplemental rules of
procedure.
Committee rules of procedure do not supersede those established by the standing
rules of the Senate. Rule XXV defines the jurisdiction of the standing committees,
and Rule XXVI sets forth rules of procedure to be followed by standing committees.
The full texts of these standing rules and relevant Senate precedents are discussed on
pages 382-429 of Riddick’s Senate Procedure. Committee rules can be enforced in
the committee that has adopted them.
The Senate Committee on Rules and Administration usually issues a document
each Congress that presents the jurisdiction statements and the rules of procedure of
all Senate committees. This document, entitled Authority and Rules of Senate
Committees, also provides related information such as public laws affecting
committee procedures. Each committee’s rules also appear in the Congressional
Record on the day they were submitted for publication. In addition, some
committees publish their rules in a committee print, or in the committee’s interim or
final “Legislative Calendar.”
Reprinted on the following page is an excerpt from the rules of the Senate
Committee on Finance for the 105th Congress.20
When published, Authority and Rules of Senate Committees is available from
the Senate Document Room (B-04 Hart Office Building, 4-7701), or the Office
of Senate Legal Counsel (642 Senate Hart Office Building, 4-4435).
Internet: The latest version of Authority and Rules of Senate Committees,
Senate Document 108-6, is available at GPO Access Legislative page at
[http://www.gpoaccess.gov/serialset/cdocuments/index.html].
19 According to Rule XXVI, paragraph 2, the March 1 deadline does not apply to committees
established on or after February 1. Such committees must publish their rules of procedure
not later than 60 days after being established.
20 Authority and Rules of Senate Committees, 1997-1998, S.Doc. 105-4, (Washington: GPO,
1995), p. 84.
CRS-24
CRS-25
Publications of Committees and Offices of the
Senate
Some publications prepared by committees and offices of the Senate provide
valuable information about Senate parliamentary procedure and practices. While
these publications are not official parliamentary reference sources, they often make
references to official sources such as the Senate’s standing rules and published
precedents. Publications developed by the Senate parliamentarian, and by the
committees on Budget, Foreign Relations, and Rules and Administration, are
described below.
Budget Process Law Annotated
Budget Process Law Annotated (Senate Print 103-49), a print of the Senate
Budget Committee, provides the text of the Congressional Budget Act, Gramm-
Rudman-Hollings Act, the Budget Enforcement Act, and other budget documents
such as executive orders. The print’s great value lies in its informative annotations,
which were prepared by William G. Dauster, then the Senate Budget Committee’s
minority chief counsel. These annotations provide summaries of, and citations to,
important Senate precedents. For some precedents, the full text of the procedural
exchange establishing the precedent is presented.
In addition, the annotations explain references made in the budgetary laws and
include the legislative history of certain provisions in these laws. Throughout the
print, symbols are used to indicate provisions that established a point of order in the
Senate, or a procedure for controlling time in the Senate.
Photocopies of Budget Process Law Annotated (Senate Print 103-49) are
available from the Senate Budget Committee (621 Dirksen Senate Office
Building, 4-0642). The print is 857 pages long.
U.S. Senate Handbook (Chapter 3)
Chapter 3 (entitled “Legislative Activity”) of the U.S. Senate Handbook
explains the procedures that accompany each stage of the legislative process in the
Senate. This publication (Senate Document 104-64) was issued by the Senate
Committee on Rules and Administration.
Useful references to the Senate’s standing rules and Riddick’s Senate Procedure
are provided throughout Chapter 3. The chapter also summarizes the procedures
governing the Senate’s consideration of general appropriations bills, budget
resolutions, and reconciliation bills. In addition, the chapter explains Senate
procedures for acting on treaties and executive nominations.
CRS-26
Upon publication, the U.S. Senate Handbook (Senate Document 104-64) was
automatically distributed to Senate offices by the Senate Committee on Rules
and Administration. Copies of the handbook’s Chapter 3 are available from the
Congressional Research Service (7-5700).
Senate Cloture Rule
Senate Cloture Rule (Senate Print 99-95), a print prepared for the Senate
Committee on Rules and Administration by the Congressional Research Service, was
issued during the 99th Congress. The print’s coverage of the rule’s history and
application can be useful to those wanting a more detailed knowledge of how the
cloture rule has developed and been used.
The print provides the text of all the standing rules affecting debate, a
chronological history of efforts to limit debate in the Senate (the facts of each
situation are provided), tables summarizing Senate votes on cloture motions, a
bibliography of publications and articles on selected filibusters and cloture motions,
and legislative histories of the original cloture rule and later amendments to the rule.
Senate Cloture Rule (Senate Print 99-95) can be obtained from CRS (7-5700).
Treaties and Other International Agreements: The Role of the
United States Senate
Treaties and Other International Agreements: The Role of the United States
Senate (Senate Print 106-71) was designed, in part, to serve as a “reference manual”
for the Senate’s consideration of treaties and other international agreements.21 The
print was prepared for the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations by the
Congressional Research Service. The 106th Congress edition is an update of the 1993
version, Senate Print 103-53.
The 106th Congress edition of this print provides detailed information about the
Senate’s advice and consent role, and explains the steps involved in making treaties
and executive agreements as well as the history of international agreements. Chapter
5 covers the procedures that govern all stages of Senate consideration of treaties and
international agreements, from receipt and referral to committee to final action on the
Senate floor. Chapter 10 discusses congressional oversight of treaties and other
international agreements.
21 U.S. Congress, Senate, Treaties and Other International Agreements: The Role of the
United States Senate, 106th Cong., 2nd sess., S.Prt. 106-71 (Washington: GPO, 2001), p. xi.
CRS-27
Treaties and Other International Agreements: The Role of the United States
Senate (Senate Print 106-71) is available from the Document Room of the
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations (423 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
4-4620).
Internet: A link to Senate Print 106-71 is available on GPO Access at
[http://www.gpo.gov/congress/senate/senate11cp106.html].
Enactment of a Law
Enactment of a Law (Senate Document 97-20), prepared by the Senate
parliamentarian under the direction of the secretary of the Senate, explains Senate
floor procedures and the functions of the various Senate officials, such as the
secretary of the Senate, the sergeant at arms, and the Senate parliamentarian. Some
information about House and conference procedures and presidential action also is
provided.
While the most recent printed edition of Enactment of a Law dates from 1981,
an online version available through the Internet was prepared in February 1997 by the
Senate parliamentarian, Robert B. Dove. This online version reflects changes made
to the congressional budget process and Senate rules and procedures since the last
printed edition.
The printed version of Enactment of a Law (Senate Document 97-20) is
available from the Congressional Research Service (7-5700).
Internet:
The online version of Enactment of a Law is available through THOMAS, at
[http://thomas.loc.gov/home/enactment/enactlawtoc.html]. This version also is
the basis of the Senate Overview section of the CRS Guides to Congressional
Processes at [http://www.crs.gov/products/guides/senate/parliamentarianover
view/SenateOverview.shtml].
How Our Laws Are Made
How Our Laws Are Made provides a summary of the legislative process from
the drafting of legislation to final approval and presidential action. While this
document focuses on House procedures, it includes a review of Senate committee
and floor procedures prepared by the Office of the Senate Parliamentarian.
A new edition of How Our Laws Are Made (23nd edition), House Document
108-93, prepared by the Office of the House Parliamentarian, in consultation with the
Office of the Parliamentarian of the U.S. Senate, also is available online through the
Internet. This version (June 20, 2003) reflects the changes made to House rules since
the previous published edition.
CRS-28
The latest print version of How Our Laws Are Made (23rd edition), House
Document 108-93, dated June 20, 2003, is available from the Government
Printing Office.
Internet: The latest online version of How Our Laws Are Made is available
through THOMAS at [http://thomas.loc.gov/home/lawsmade.toc.html].
Rules of the Senate’s Party Conferences
The rules of the Senate Democratic Conference and the Senate Republican
Conference cover topics such as the selection of party leaders, meetings of the party
conference, and limitations on committee assignments. These rules are binding only
on the Senators belonging to each party conference. As such, party conference rules
cannot be enforced on the Senate floor; the rules are adopted by each conference’s
members and can only be enforced within that conference.
Internet: An online version of the Rules of the Senate Republican Conference
for the 108th Congress, can be accessed at
[http://www.senate.gov/src/about/index.cfm?fuseaction=rules].
CRS-29
Appendix A:
Senate Parliamentary Reference Sources
Official Reference Sources
U.S. Congress. Senate. Authority and Rules of Senate Committees, 2003-2004.
Usually issued each Congress by the Senate Committee on Rules and
Administration. 108th Congress, 1st session. S.Doc.No. 108-6 (latest edition).
Washington: GPO, 2003.
–—. Senate Manual. Compiled by the Senate Committee on Rules and
Administration. 107th Congress, 1st session. S.Doc.No. 107-1 (latest edition).
Washington: GPO, 2002.
–—. Standing Rules of the Senate. Prepared by the Senate Committee on Rules and
Administration. 106th Congress, 2nd session. S.Doc. 106-15 (latest edition).
Washington: GPO, 2000.
U.S. Congress. Senate. Riddick’s Senate Procedure. 101stCongress, 2nd session.
S.Doc. 101-28. Washington: GPO, 1992.
Publications of Committees and Offices of the Senate
U.S. Congress. Senate. Budget Process Law Annotated. , 103rd Congress, 1st session.
S.Prt. 103-49. Washington: GPO, 1993.
–—. Chapter 3 “Legislative Activity”, in U.S. Senate Handbook. 104th Congress,
2nd session. S.Prt. 104-64. Washington: GPO, 1996.
–—. Enactment of a Law. 97th Congress, 2nd session. S.Doc. 97-20. Washington:
GPO, 1982. An electronic version (February 1997) is available through
THOMAS, a Web service of the Library of Congress; see Appendix B of this
report.
U.S. Congress. House. How Our Laws Are Made (23rd edition). Prepared by the
Office of the House Parliamentarian. 108th Congress, 1st session. H.Doc. 108-
93. Washington: GPO, 2003. An electronic version (June 20, 2003) can be
accessed through the Legislative Information System; see Appendix B of this
report.
U.S. Congress. Senate. Senate Cloture Rule. 99th Congress, 1st session. S.Prt. 99-
95. Washington: GPO, 1985.
–—. Procedure and Guidelines for Impeachment Trials in the United States Senate.
99th Congress, 2nd session. S.Doc. 99-33. Washington: GPO, 1986.
–—. Treaties and Other International Agreements: The Role of the United States
Senate. 106th Congress, 2nd session. S.Prt. 106-71. Washington: GPO, 2001.
CRS-30
CRS Products
Most titles are available full-text from the CRS Home Page at
[http://www.crs.gov].
CRS Report 98-853. The Amending Process in the Senate, by Betsy Palmer and
Stanley Bach.
CRS Report RL30862. Budget Reconciliation Procedures: The Senate’s “Byrd
Rule,” by Robert Keith.
CRS Report RL30743. Committee Assignment Process in the U.S. Senate:
Democratic and Republican Party Procedures, by Judy Schneider.
CRS Report 96-708. Conference Committee and Related Procedures: An
Introduction, by Elizabeth Rybicki and Stanley Bach.
CRS Report RS20722. The First Day of a new Congress: a Guide to Proceedings
on the Senate Floor, by Mildred Lehmann Amer.
CRS Report RL30548. Hearings in the U.S. Senate: Guide for Preparation and
Procedure, by Richard C. Sachs.
CRS Report 98-712. “Holds” in the Senate, by Walter Oleszek.
CRS Report RL30945. House and Senate Rules of Procedure: A Comparison, by
Judy Schneider.
CRS Report RS20668. How Measures Are Brought to the Senate Floor: a Brief
Introduction, by James V. Saturno.
CRS Report 96-548. The Legislative Process on the Senate Floor: An Introduction,
by Thomas P. Carr and Stanley Bach.
CRS Report RL30850. Minority Rights and Senate Procedures, by Stanley Bach.
CRS Report 98-503. Publications of the U.S. Senate, by Faye M. Bullock.
CRS Report 98-696. Resolving Legislative Differences in Congress: Conference
Committees and Amendments Between the Houses, by Elizabeth Rybicki and
Stanley Bach.
CRS Report 98-183. Senate Committees: Categories and Rules for Committee
Assignments, by Judy Schneider.
CRS Report 97-368. Senate Floor Procedure: A Summary, by Stanley Bach.
CRS Report 98-308. Senate Legislative Procedures: Published Sources of
Information, by Christopher M. Davis.
CRS-31
CRS Report 98-311. Senate Rules Affecting Committee Activities, by Stanley Bach
and Betsy Palmer.
CRS Report 98-470. Senate Manual: a Guide to its Contents, by Lorraine H. Tong.
CRS Report 98-912. Senate Rules and Practices on Committee, Subcommittee,
andChairmanship Assignment Limitations as of November 4, 2000, by Judy
Schneider.
CRS Report 96-452. Voting and Quorum Procedures in the Senate, by Betsy Palmer
and Stanley Bach.
CRS-32
Appendix B: Senate Parliamentary Reference
Information Available Through the Internet
Throughout this report are citations to Internet locations and websites at which
electronic versions of various Senate parliamentary reference sources are available.
This appendix lists these online resources in a single compendium for the
convenience of the reader.
The vast majority of the referenced links can be accessed through one of two
“gateway” websites maintained by legislative branch organizations: the Legislative
Information System (LIS) and GPO Access. Each of these sites (detailed below)
provides a good entry point for research into Senate procedures. Documents relating
to Senate procedures also can be found on the CRS Guides to Congressional
Processes website, as well as on other Library of Congress and U.S. Senate websites
at the locations indicated.
To find the document cited at a specified Internet location, use the address
provided in brackets. The list is current as of this report’s publication date. Because
information on the Internet is constantly changing, this list should not be considered
exhaustive.
Legislative Information System of the U.S Congress (LIS)
[http://www.congress.gov] (Congress Only)
The Legislative Information System was released at the start of the 105th
Congress and has been extensively redesigned for the 107th Congress. The
information in the system is organized into six Web pages: Home, Senate, House,
Agencies, Media, and Can’t Find It. Each page is accessible by clicking on one of
the navigation tabs near the top of the page. The Senate and House pages include
multiple links under the category “Rules, precedents, and procedures.” The
“Agencies” page includes a link to GPO Access (Legislative), where many
documents related to parliamentary procedure are located.
CRS Guides to Congressional Processes
[http://www.crs.gov/products/guides/guidehome.shtml]
The latest version of this CRS electronic guide provides a wealth of information
relating to House and Senate procedures. There are links to current versions of House
and Senate rules and CRS reports on specific procedural topics. Electronic versions
of How Our Laws Are Made and Enactment of a Law provide an overview of
procedures in each chamber. Links within the fact sheets and procedural overviews
take the user directly to pertinent House or Senate rules and to definitions in
Congressional Quarterly’s American Congressional Dictionary.
GPO Access
GPO Access Home Page
[http://www.gpoaccess.gov/index.html]
CRS-33
Provides links to rules of Senate committees.
[http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/senate/sclinks.html]
Searchable version of the Senate Manual (S.Doc. 107-1, 107th Congress, 1st session).
[http://www.gpoaccess.gov/smanual/index.html]
Searchable version of the 1992 edition of The Constitution Annotated (formally
known as Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation),
S.Doc. 103-6, 103rd Congress, 1st session, and its 1996 supplement (S.Doc. 104-14,
104th Congress, 1st session), 1998 supplement (S.Doc. 106-8, 106th Congress, 1st
session) and 2000 supplement (S.Doc. 106-27, 106th Congress, 2nd session). This
edition of the Constitution and its supplements are annotated by the Congressional
Research Service with references to court decisions.
[http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/senate/constitution/index.html]
Other Library of Congress Sites
Links to Senate rules at the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration
[http://thomas.loc.gov/home/legbranch/legbranch.html]
Enactment of a Law, (online version, February 1997)
[http://thomas.loc.gov/home/enactment/enactlawtoc.html]
How Our Laws Are Made, version dated June 20, 2003
[http://thomas.loc.gov/home/lawsmade.toc.html]
Constitution
[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/const/const.html]
Amendments 1-10 (Bill of Rights)
[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/const/bor.html]
Amendments 11-27
[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/const/amend.html]
Other Senate Sites
[http://www.senate.gov/committees/index.cfm]
Provides links to Internet locations of all Senate committees. Most committee
websites include a link to “committee rules.” Links to the rules of most Senate
committees are listed below:
Agriculture, Nutrition,
[http://agriculture.senate.gov/cmte/rules.htm]
and Forestry
Appropriations
[http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/senate/srules03.htm]
Armed Services
[http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/senate/srules04.htm]
Banking, Housing, and
[http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/senate/srules05.htm]
Urban Affairs
Budget
[http://www.senate.gov/~budget/democratic/rules.html]
CRS-34
Appropriations
[http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/senate/srules03.htm]
Commerce, Science,
[http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/senate/srules07.htm]
and Transportation
Energy and Natural
[http://energy.senate.gov/about/about_rules.html]
Resources
Environment and Public
[http://epw.senate.gov/rule_108.htm]
Works
Finance
[http://finance.senate.gov/sitepages/rules.htm]
Foreign Relations
[http://foreign.senate.gov/rule.html]
Governmental Affairs
[http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/senate/srules12.html]
Health, Education,
[http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/senate/srules15.html]
Labor and Pensions
Indian Affairs
[http://indian.senate.gov/rules.htm]
Judiciary
[http://judiciary.senate.gov/committee_rules.cfm]
Rules and
[http://www.senate.gov/~rules/senaterules/menu.htm]
Administration
(Links to Senate rules, not Rules Committee rules)
Small Business
[http://sbc.senate.gov/108rules.pdf]
Veterans Affairs
[http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/senate/srules18.html]
(Links to 107th Congress rules)