Parliamentary Reference Sources: Senate

July 27, 2001 – November 17, 2023 RL30788

Parliamentary Reference Sources: Senate
November 17, 2023
The Senate’s procedures are determined not only by its standing rules but also by standing
orders, published precedents, committee rules, party conference rules, and informal practices.
Sarah B. Solomon
The Constitution and rulemaking statutes also impose procedural requirements on the Senate.

Analyst on Congress
and the Legislative Process
Official parliamentary reference documents and other publications set forth the text of the various

authorities or provide information about how and when they govern different procedural
situations. Together, these sources establish the parameters by which the Senate conducts its

business. They provide insight into the Senate’s daily proceedings, which can be unpredictable.
In order to understand Senate procedure, it is often necessary to consider more than one source of authority. For example, the
Senate’s standing rules provide for the presiding officer to recognize the first Senator who seeks recognition on the floor. By
precedent, however, when several Senators seek recognition at the same time, the majority leader is recognized first, followed
by the minority leader. This precedent may have consequences for action on the floor.
Among the resources available to Senators and their staff, four may prove especially useful to understand the Senate’s daily
order of business: the Senate Manual, Riddick’s Senate Procedure, the rules of the Senate standing committees, and the
publication of unanimous consent agreements.
The Senate sets forth its chief procedural authorities in a Senate document called the Senate Manual (S.Doc. 117-1), a new
edition of which appears periodically. The Manual contains the text of the Senate’s standing rules, permanent standing
orders, laws relating to the Senate, and the Constitution, all of which establish key Senate procedures. The most recent
version of the Manual can be accessed online at govinfo.gov, a website of the Government Publishing Office (GPO), at
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/SMAN-117/pdf/SMAN-117.pdf. It is also accessible via the Senate resources page of
Congress.gov, a website of the Library of Congress, at https://www.congress.gov/resources/display/content/Senate.
Riddick’s Senate Procedure (S.Doc. 101-28) presents a catalog of Senate precedents arranged alphabetically on topics
ranging from adjournment to recognition to voting. Summaries of the precedents are accompanied by citations to the page
and date in the Congressional Record or the Senate Journal on which the precedent was established. Individual chapters of
Riddick’s Senate Procedure are available for download through govinfo.gov at https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GPO-
RIDDICK-1992. A searchable version is also accessible via the Senate resources page of Congress.gov at
https://www.congress.gov/resources/display/content/Senate.
The Senate’s standing rules require each standing committee to adopt its own rules of procedure. These rules may cover
topics such as proxy voting, quorum requirements, and the preparation of committee reports. Each Congress, the Senate
Committee on Rules and Administration prepares a compilation of these rules and other relevant committee materials, such
as jurisdiction information, in a document titled Authority and Rules of Senate Committees. The most recent version (S.Doc.
118-4) is available via govinfo.gov at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CDOC-118sdoc4/pdf/CDOC-118sdoc4.pdf.
To facilitate the legislative process, the Senate often conducts its business through unanimous consent agreements that may
schedule the time for taking up a measure or specify what motions are in order during its consideration. These can be found,
via Congress.gov, in the Congressional Record (https://www.congress.gov/) and the Senate Calendar of Business or the
Executive Calendar (https://www.congress.gov/calendars-and-schedules).
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Introduction
The Senate’s procedures are not based solely on its standing rules. Rather, the foundations of
Senate procedure also include the body’s standing orders, published precedents, rulemaking
statutes, constitutional mandates, committee rules, party conference rules, and informal practices.
Various reference sources provide information about how and when these procedural authorities
of the Senate govern specific parliamentary situations. Together, they establish the framework by
which the Senate conducts its business. This report discusses the contents, format, and availability
of reference sources that provide information about contemporary procedures in the Senate. The
report covers official documents that set forth the Senate rules, precedents, or other sources of
parliamentary authority, such as the Senate Manual, Riddick’s Senate Procedure, and the rules
adopted by Senate committees. The report also discusses publications on procedure from
committees and offices of the Senate and the rules of the Senate’s party conferences.
Prior to describing the individual parliamentary reference sources, this report reviews some
principles of Senate parliamentary procedure that are applicable when using and evaluating
information from these sources.
The report then covers the Senate’s official parliamentary reference sources. These are documents
that set forth authoritative statements of Senate rules, procedures, and precedents. Senators often
cite these official sources when raising a point of order or defending against one.
Finally, the report reviews the rules of the party conferences, as well as a number of additional
publications of committees and other offices of the Senate. Although these resources do not
themselves constitute official parliamentary authorities of the Senate, they nevertheless provide
background information on official parliamentary authorities.
Text boxes throughout the report provide information on how to consult a source, or group of
sources, with an emphasis on online access. This report aims to present access points to these
reference sources that are relevant for Senators and congressional staff and does not present an
exhaustive list of websites and other locations where these references can be found.
Two appendixes supplement the information on parliamentary reference sources provided
throughout the report. Appendix A provides a selected list of CRS products on Senate procedure.
An overview of the two primary websites through which many of the resources included in this
report can be accessed is provided in Appendix B.
This report assumes a basic familiarity with Senate procedures. Official guidance on Senate
procedure is available from the Office of the Senate Parliamentarian. CRS staff can also assist
with clarifying Senate rules and procedures.
Principles of Senate Parliamentary Practice
The Senate applies the regulations set forth in its various parliamentary authorities in accordance
with several principles that remain generally applicable across the entire range of parliamentary
situations. Among these principles may be listed the following: (1) Senate procedures derive from
multiple sources; (2) the Senate has the constitutional power to make its own rules of procedure;
(3) Senators must often initiate enforcement of their rules; (4) the Senate conducts much of its
business by unanimous consent; (5) the Senate usually follows its precedents; and (6) the Senate
adheres to many informal practices. Each of these principles is discussed below.
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Multiple Sources of Senate Procedure
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,
• standing orders of the Senate,
• precedents of the Senate,
• statutory provisions that establish procedural requirements,
• rules of procedure adopted by each committee,
• rules of the Senate’s party conferences,
• procedural agreements entered into by unanimous consent, and
• informal practices that the Senate adheres to by custom.
In order to answer a question about Senate procedure, it is often 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.” When several Senators
seek recognition at the same time, however, there is precedent that “priority of recognition shall
be accorded to the majority leader and minority leader, the majority manager and minority
manager, in that order.”1 This precedential principle can impact Senate floor action and its
outcomes. Familiarity with this Senate practice, and not the standing rule alone, is key to an
understanding of how the Senate conducts its business.
Constitutional Rulemaking 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 rulemaking authority. First, the Senate
can decide what rules should govern its procedures. The Senate exercises this rulemaking power
when it adopts an amendment to the standing rules, or creates a new standing rule, by majority
vote.2 The Senate also uses its rulemaking power when it creates standing orders and when it
enacts rulemaking provisions of statutes such as those included in the Congressional Budget and
Impoundment Control Act of 1974. Standing orders and rulemaking provisions of law have the
same authority and effect as the Senate’s standing rules, because all are created through an
exercise of the Senate’s constitutional rulemaking authority.
The second dimension to the Senate’s rulemaking 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. Under a provision of Senate Rule V, the body can also suspend its
rules by a two-thirds vote, although this course is procedurally difficult and rare. The Senate has
no established means to supersede its rules by majority vote. However, the Senate can achieve the
effect of waiving a rule if a majority votes to overrule a presiding officer’s decision to sustain a

1 Floyd M. Riddick and Alan S. Frumin, Riddick’s Senate Procedure: Precedents and Practices, S.Doc. 101-28, 101st
Cong., 2nd sess. (Washington: GPO, 1992), p. 1098.
2 A simple majority of Senators may vote to amend the standing rules of the Senate. However, both the measure
proposing the rules change and the motion to proceed to consider it are debatable and subject to a filibuster. To
overcome the filibuster, it may be necessary to invoke cloture first on the motion to proceed and then on the measure.
Invoking cloture on proposals to amend the Senate’s standing rules directly and the motion to proceed to such a
proposal requires the vote of two-thirds of Senators present and voting. See CRS Report R41342, Proposals to Change
the Operation of Cloture in the Senate, by Christopher M. Davis and Valerie Heitshusen.
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point of order. A majority of the Senate may also vote against sustaining a point of order that has
been submitted to the Senate for decision.3 Action of this kind not only sets the rule aside for the
immediate situation but also establishes a precedent to govern subsequent rulings of the presiding
officer regarding the meaning and applicability of that rule.
Enforcing 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 the chamber’s attention to a violation of Senate rules.4 The Senate can
violate its procedures unless a Senator, at the right moment, makes a point of order that the
proposed action violates the standing rules, a constitutional provision, or another authoritative
source of procedure (i.e., standing order, rulemaking statute, or unanimous consent agreement).5
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.” This is rare but may occur if the existing rules and precedents do not
speak clearly on the parliamentary question at hand.6
Any Senator can appeal the ruling of the presiding officer on a point of order. The Senate might
then decide, usually by majority vote, to uphold or overturn the presiding officer’s decision.7 This
vote establishes a precedent that guides the presiding officer in deciding future questions of order
unless this precedent is overturned by another decision of the Senate or by a rules change. Some
rulemaking statutes require a supermajority vote to overturn or appeal the presiding officer’s
ruling on a point of order.8
Parliamentary actions taken on the basis of an informal practice or pursuant to 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 actions taken in Senate committee and on the Senate floor, they
are not invoked through an exercise of the Senate’s constitutional rulemaking authority. Hence,
they do not have the authority of Senate rules and procedures. Informal practices evolve over time
as custom and party conference rules are adopted and enforced by each party.

3 Section 904 of the Congressional Budget Act establishes a procedure by which the Senate can vote to waive certain
budget-related prohibitions and requirements. See CRS Report R47413, Points of Order in the Congressional Budget
Process, by James V. Saturno and Megan S. Lynch.
4 An 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 or her own initiative. See Senate Rule
XXII, paragraph 2, in Senate Manual, §22.2.
5 See CRS Report 98-306, Points of Order, Rulings, and Appeals in the Senate, by Valerie Heitshusen.
6 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 is to decide
all constitutional questions, with debate usually allowed. This practice rests on the principle that the presiding officer
possesses authority only over the interpretation of procedures established by the Senate, and only the Senate itself
possesses any such authority in relation to the Constitution. See Riddick’s Senate Procedure, pp. 989 and 1491-1492.
7 Appeals in the Senate are usually debatable, so they are subject to a filibuster. Under certain circumstances, it may be
necessary for three-fifths of the Senate to invoke cloture in order to reach a vote on the appeal. For more information,
see CRS Report 98-306, Points of Order, Rulings, and Appeals in the Senate, by Valerie Heitshusen.
8 For examples of provisions that would require such a supermajority, see Section 904(d) of the Congressional Budget
Act, P.L. 93-344 as amended (2 U.S.C. 621 note). In some cases, Senate rules may also be waived by three-fifths of the
Senate to avoid the effects of a point of order. For example, Rule XXVIII in the Senate, which precludes conference
agreements from including policy provisions deemed to be out of scope according to Senate rules and precedents, may
be waived by three-fifths of all Senators duly chosen and sworn. See CRS Report RS22733, Senate Rules Restricting
the Content of Conference Reports, by Elizabeth Rybicki.
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The Senate’s Reliance on Unanimous Consent
The Senate’s standing rules emphasize the rights of individual Senators, in particular by affording
each Senator the right to debate at length and the right to offer amendments that are not relevant
to the bill under consideration. It would be difficult for the Senate to act on legislation in a timely
fashion if 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 (UC) agreements.9
UC agreements may be used to bring up a measure, establish how the measure will be considered
on the floor, and control how the Senate will consider amendments.10
Given the fact that it takes only one Senator to object to a UC agreement, each agreement is
carefully crafted by the majority leader in consultation with the minority leader, leaders of the
committee with jurisdiction over the bill in question, and other Senators who express an interest
in the legislation. The agreement is then orally propounded on the floor, usually by the majority
leader, and takes effect if no Senator objects.
Once entered into, a UC agreement is enforceable on the Senate floor, has the same authority as
the Senate’s standing rules, and can only be altered by unanimous consent. Consent agreements
have the effect of changing “all Senate rules and precedents that are contrary to the terms of the
agreement.”11
The Importance of Precedents
The published precedents of the Senate detail the ways in which the Senate has interpreted and
applied its rules. The precedents both complement and supplement the rules of the Senate. As
illustrated by the example of according priority recognition to the majority leader, it may be
necessary to refer to the precedents for guidance on how the Senate’s rules are to be understood.
The brevity of the Senate’s standing rules often makes the body’s precedents particularly
important as a determinant of proceedings.
Precedents are analogous to case law in their effect. Just as attorneys in court cite previous
judicial decisions to support their arguments, Senators cite precedents of the Senate to support a
point of order, defend against one, or argue for or against an appeal of the presiding officer’s
ruling on a point of order. Similarly, the presiding officer often supports his or her ruling by citing
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.
Most precedents are established when the Senate votes on questions of order (i.e., on whether to
uphold or overturn a ruling of the presiding officer or on a point of order that the presiding officer
has submitted to the body) or when the presiding officer decides a question of order and the
ruling is not appealed. Historically, the Senate follows such precedents until “the Senate in its

9 These agreements are sometimes called “time agreements” when they include limits on the time for debating
measures, amendments, motions, or other questions.
10 A body of precedents has developed on how UC 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. In
most instances, the motion to proceed is debatable and hence open to a filibuster. See CRS Report RS21255, Motions to
Proceed to Consider Measures in the Senate: Who Offers Them?, by Richard S. Beth and Mark J. Oleszek.
11 Riddick’s Senate Procedure, p. 1311.
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wisdom should reverse or modify that decision.”12 Precedents may also be created when the
presiding officer responds to a parliamentary inquiry.
All precedents do not carry equal weight. Inasmuch as the Senate itself has the ultimate
constitutional authority over its own rules, precedents reflecting the judgment of the full Senate
are considered the most authoritative. Accordingly, precedents based on a vote of the Senate have
more weight than those based on rulings of the presiding officer. Responses of the presiding
officer to parliamentary inquiries have even less weight, because they are not subject to a process
of appeal through which the full Senate could confirm or contest them. In addition, more recent
precedents generally have greater weight than earlier ones, and precedents that reflect an
established pattern of rulings have more weight than precedents that are isolated in effect. All
precedents 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.
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 may place on consideration of specific measures and giving the majority
leader or a designee the prerogative to offer motions to proceed to the consideration of a bill.
The Senate Manual and Authorities It Contains
The Senate Manual compiles in a single document many of the chief official parliamentary
authorities of the Senate.13 The publication, prepared under the auspices of the Senate Committee
on Rules and Administration, appears periodically in a new edition as a Senate document. The
current edition, which was issued in the 117th Congress, contains the text of the following
parliamentary authorities (the titles given are those found in the Manual):
• Standing Rules of the Senate;
• Select Standing Orders not embraced in the Rules Affecting the Business of the
Senate;
• United States Senate Chamber and Gallery Regulations;
• Rules for Impeachment Trials;
• Cleaves’ Manual of the Law and Practice in Regard to Conferences and
Conference Reports;
• Select Legislative Procedures Enacted in Law Applying to the United States
Senate; and
• Constitution of the United States.
The following sections of this part of the report discuss each of these authorities in more detail.

12 Riddick’s Senate Procedure, p. 987.
13 The Manual also includes a variety of historical and statistical information. This report describes only those materials
included in the Manual that constitute procedural authorities.
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The Manual contains a general table of contents and an index. Some of the respective
components in the Manual have their own tables of contents and indices that provide additional
details about those sources. Individual provisions of each procedural authority are assigned
section numbers that run throughout the Manual in a single sequence and always appear in bold
type.14 The section numbers assigned to the standing rules correspond to the numbers of the rules
themselves. For example, paragraph 2 of Senate Rule XXII, which sets forth the cloture rule, is
found at section 22.2 of the Manual. The indices to the Manual direct readers to these section
numbers. The indices indicate, for example, that the motion to adjourn is covered in Manual
sections 6.4, 9, and 22.1. For this reason, the document is cited by section number rather than
page number.
Senate Manual (and the Authorities It Contains)
U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, Senate Manual, 117th Cong., 2nd sess., 117-1
(Washington: GPO, 2023).
Online: The Senate Manual can be accessed via govinfo.gov, a website of the Government Publishing Office
(GPO), at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/SMAN-117/pdf/SMAN-117.pdf. The GPO version is also accessible
through Congress.gov at https://www.congress.gov/resources/display/content/Senate.
Print: When published, the Senate Manual is distributed to offices of Senators and committees. Limited copies are
available from Senate Printing and Document Services. The Senate Manual can also be consulted at the CRS La
Fol ette Congressional Reading Room (reserved for use by Members of Congress, their families, and their staff).
Standing Rules of the Senate
The Senate does not readopt its standing rules at the beginning of each new Congress but instead
regards its rules as continuing in effect without need for readoption.15 Changes to the standing
rules are proposed in the form of Senate resolutions, which can be adopted by majority vote,
although invoking cloture on proposals to amend the Senate’s standing rules requires the vote of
two-thirds of Senators present and voting. At the start of the 118th Congress, there were 44
standing rules of the Senate.
The standing rules of the Senate are set forth at the beginning of the Manual.16 The standing rules
appear with footnotes indicating amendments adopted since their last general revision in 1979.
The footnotes cite the resolution adopted by the Senate to make the rules change. The Manual
presents the standing rules with an itemized table of contents and a separate, detailed index.
Permanent 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 and is enforceable on the Senate floor in the
same way. A standing order remains in effect until repealed by the Senate unless otherwise
specified in the order itself.
The standing orders the Senate has created by adopting resolutions and that remain in effect are
compiled in the Manual in sections 60-138. This is the only readily available compilation of

14 There are often gaps between the end of one section and the start of the next.
15 The Senate is a continuing body; only one-third of its membership enters on new terms of office after every biennial
election, so a quorum is continuous. This principle is embodied in paragraph 2 of Senate Rule V.
16 The standing rules are also available in a free-standing document periodically issued by the Senate Committee on
Rules and Administration. The most recent edition is Standing Rules of the Senate (S.Doc. 113-18).
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link to page 16 link to page 15 Parliamentary Reference Sources: Senate

permanent standing orders currently in effect. In addition to setting forth the text of these standing
orders, the Manual provides (1) a heading stating the subject matter of each order and (2) a
citation to the Senate resolution(s) that created and amended them.17 Footnotes provide
supplementary information, such as noting when references in the standing order (e.g., the name
of a committee) were changed.18
Laws Relating to the Senate
The most voluminous component of the Manual presents a compilation of “Select Legislative
Procedures Enacted in Law Applying to the United States Senate.” The statutory excerpts appear
in their codified version (i.e., organized under the relevant title, chapter, and section of the United
States Code). The Manual provides a separate table of contents to the provisions included, but it
sets forth the provisions themselves without citation or commentary.
Although many of the selected provisions address the administration and operations of the Senate,
some of them bear on questions related to Senate procedure, such as those concerning Senators’
oaths of office, officers of the Senate, and investigative procedure in Senate committees. The
compilation also includes “rulemaking statutes,” or statutory provisions that establish procedures
for Senate action on specified measures. Rulemaking provisions of statute are discussed further in
the section below on “Rulemaking Statutes and Budget Resolutions.”
The U.S. Constitution imposes several procedural requirements on the Senate. For example,
Article I, Section 5, directs the Senate to keep and publish an official Journal of its proceedings,
requires a majority quorum to conduct business on the Senate floor, and mandates 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 provide advice and consent to treaties and executive nominations, and Article I,
Section 3, gives the Senate the sole power to try all impeachments.
The Manual presents the text of the Constitution and its amendments. The Manual places bold
brackets around text that has been amended, and a citation directs readers to the Manual section
containing the amendment. The Manual also provides historical footnotes about the ratification of
the Constitution and each amendment, as well as a special index to the text.
Additional Parliamentary Resources Included in the Manual
Rules for Regulation of the Senate Wing
Senate Rule XXXIII authorizes the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration to make
“rules and regulations respecting such parts of the Capitol ... as are or may be set apart for the use
of the Senate.” The rule is framed to extend this authority to the entire Senate side of the Capitol
complex and explicitly includes reference to the press galleries and their operation.19 Several of
the regulations adopted by the Committee on Rules and Administration under this authority have
a bearing on floor activity, including ones addressing (1) the floor duties of the secretaries for the

17 A citation to the Senate Journal is sometimes provided, especially for older standing orders.
18 Sources for standing orders adopted by unanimous consent and effective only for a single Congress or other limited
period of time are covered below in the section “Unanimous Consent Agreements.”
19 Senate Rule XXXIII, paragraph 2, in Senate Manual, §33.2.
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majority and for the minority, (2) the system of “legislative buzzers and signal lights,” and (3) the
“use of display materials in the Senate chamber.”20
Rules for Impeachment Trials
The Senate has adopted a special body of rules to govern its proceedings when sitting as a Court
of Impeachment to try impeachments referred to it by the House of Representatives. The Senate
treats these rules, like its standing rules, as remaining permanently in effect unless altered by
action of the Senate. On occasion, the Senate has adopted amendments to these rules.21
Cleaves’ Manual on Conferences
Cleaves’ Manual presents a digest of the rules, precedents, and other provisions of parliamentary
authorities governing Senate practice in relation to the functioning of conference committees and
conference reports as they stood at the end of the 19th century. Although rules and practices
governing conferences to resolve legislative differences between the House and the Senate have
since been altered in many respects, and many of the precedents now applicable to conferences
were established after Cleaves’ Manual was prepared, many of the principles set forth in Cleaves’
Manual still apply to current practice.
As presented in the Senate Manual, Cleaves’ Manual includes excerpts from the Manual of
Parliamentary Practice prepared by Thomas Jefferson as Vice President at the turn of the 19th
century, as well as statements by other Vice Presidents and by Speakers, excerpts from Senate
rules, statements of principles established by precedent, and explanatory notes. In addition, a
section at the end sets forth forms for conference reports and joint explanatory statements.

20 Rules II, XV, and XVII for Regulation of the Senate Wing, in Senate Manual, §§151, 164, and 166, respectively.
21 Significant changes occurred in 1974, when an impeachment of President Richard Nixon was impending. The most
recent amendments were adopted in 1986, pursuant to S.Res. 479 (99th Congress), in preparation for the trial of the
impeachment of Federal District Judge Harry E. Claiborne.
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Annotated Excerpt from the Manual
The page below displays an excerpt from the section of the Manual that presents the Constitution.
The excerpt shows the format of the Manual, and the annotations explain some of the key
features for using the reference, such as distinguishing between the Manual section numbers in
bold text and the Manual page numbers at the bottom of the page.

Other Official Senate Parliamentary Authorities
Riddick’s Senate Procedure
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Riddick’s Senate Procedure, often referred to simply as Riddick’s, is the most comprehensive
reference source covering Senate rules, precedents, and practices. Its principal purpose is to
present a digest of precedents established in the Senate. The current edition, published in 1992,
covers significant Senate precedents established from 1883 to 1992.22 It was written by Floyd M.
Riddick, Parliamentarian of the Senate from 1964 to 1974, and Alan S. Frumin, Parliamentarian
of the Senate from 1987 to 1995 and 2001 to 2012 and Parliamentarian Emeritus since 1997.23
As implied by its full title, Riddick’s Senate Procedure: Precedents and Practices details Senate
precedents as well as discussions of the customary practices of the Senate. It is organized around
procedural topics, which are presented in alphabetical order. For each procedural topic, the
volume first presents a summary of the general principles governing that topic followed by the
text of relevant standing rules, constitutional provisions, or rulemaking provisions of statute.
Summaries of the principles established by individual precedents are then presented under subject
headings and subtopics organized in alphabetical order. 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 each precedent was
established and to the Congressional Record or Senate Journal pages where readers can locate
pertinent proceedings (e.g., “July 28, 1916, 64-1, Record, pp. 11748-50”). Footnote citations
beginning with the word see indicate proceedings 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.
An appendix to Riddick’s Senate Procedure contains sample floor dialogues showing the
terminology that Senators and presiding officers 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) are also provided. Useful supplementary information appears in
brackets throughout the appendix. The appendix also has a separate index.
The publication’s main index is useful for locating information on specific topics of Senate
procedure. The table of contents lists only the main procedural topics covered in the book.
Riddick’s Senate Procedure
U.S. Congress, Senate, Riddick's Senate Procedure: Precedents and Practices, prepared by Floyd M. Riddick and Alan S.
Frumin, 101st Cong., 1st sess., S.Doc. 101-28 (Washington: GPO, 1992).
Online: Individual topical chapters of Riddick’s Senate Procedure are available for download through govinfo.gov at
https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GPO-RIDDICK-1992. For a ful text search of Riddick’s Senate Procedure, visit
https://www.riddick.gpo.gov. The searchable version is also accessible via Congress.gov at
https://www.congress.gov/resources/display/content/Senate.
Print: Riddick’s Senate Procedure is distributed to the offices of new Senators. Limited copies are available from
Senate Printing and Document Services.
Standing Orders by Unanimous Consent
In addition to the standing orders created by resolution, the Senate also establishes standing
orders by agreeing to unanimous consent requests. These agreements usually make these standing

22 The Electronic Senate Precedents present a catalog of precedents established since the publication of Riddick’s
Senate Procedure in 1992. They are discussed in this report below.
23 This edition is an updated and revised version of the 1981 edition, written by Riddick. Earlier editions of this and
predecessor documents appeared under the names of earlier Parliamentarians of the Senate, such as Charles J. Watkins,
or Chief Clerks of the Senate, such as Henry H. Gilfry, extending back to the 19th century.
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orders effective only for the duration of a Congress or some other limited period. The current
Senate practice is to adopt an established package of these standing orders at the beginning of
each successive Congress. Standing orders of this kind are not included in the Senate Manual but
appear only in the Congressional Record on the day they are adopted. For example, on the first
day of the 118th Congress in 2023, the Senate adopted 11 unanimous consent agreements
reestablishing standing orders from the previous Congress on topics such as the procedures for
allowing Members’ staff access to the Senate floor during the consideration of matters and when
the Senate Ethics Committee is permitted to meet.24
Unanimous Consent (UC) Agreements
UC agreements also include orders that function as parliamentary authorities in the Senate. These
consent agreements establish conditions for floor consideration of specified measures, which, in
relation to those measures, override the regulations established by the standing rules and other
Senate parliamentary authorities. Commonly, agreements of this kind may set the time for taking
up or for voting on the measure, limit the time available for debate, or specify what amendments
and other motions are in order.
UC agreements constitute parliamentary authorities of the Senate because, once propounded and
accepted on the Senate floor, they are enforced just as are the Senate’s standing rules and other
procedural authorities. UC agreements are propounded orally, and therefore, they are printed in
the Congressional Record. Those that are accepted are printed at the front of the Senate’s daily
Calendar of Business and Executive Calendar until they are no longer in effect.
Unanimous Consent Agreements
UC agreements are printed in the Congressional Record once they are propounded on the Senate floor. Accepted
agreements are printed at the front of the Senate’s daily Calendar of Business or the Executive Calendar until they are
no longer in effect.
Online: The Congressional Record for the 118th Congress is available in searchable form through Congress.gov at
https://www.congress.gov/. The Senate Calendar of Business and Executive Calendar are both available at
Congress.gov at https://www.congress.gov/calendars-and-schedules and govinfo.gov at https://www.govinfo.gov/
app/col ection/ccal/118.
Print: Senate offices may receive printed copies of the Congressional Record and the Senate’s Calendar of Business
delivered to their offices.
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 not later
than March 1 of the first session of each Congress.25 Committee rules cover important aspects of
the committee stage of the legislative process, such as the procedures for preparing committee
reports, proxy voting, and quorum requirements. Subcommittees may also have their own
supplemental rules of procedure. Committees are responsible for enforcing their own rules, and
no point of order pertaining to committee rules can be raised on the Senate floor. Committee rules
of procedure cannot supersede those established by the standing rules of the Senate.

24 Senator Charles E. Schumer, “Unanimous Consent Agreements,” Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 169
(January 3, 2023), p. S7.
25 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. In
addition, any amendments to committee rules do not take effect until they are published in the Congressional Record.
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Each committee’s rules appear in the Congressional Record on the day they are submitted for
publication. Some committees also publish their rules in a committee print or in the committee’s
interim or final “Legislative Calendar” and many post them on the committee websites. In
addition, the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration issues a document each Congress
that compiles the rules of procedure adopted by all Senate committees. This document, Authority
and Rules of Senate Committees, also presents the jurisdiction statement for each committee from
Rule XXV of the Senate’s standing rules as well as related information, such as provisions of
public law affecting committee procedures.
Rules of Senate Committees
U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, Authority and Rules of Senate Committees, 2023-
2024, 118th Cong., 1st sess., S.Doc. 118-4 (Washington: GPO, 2023).
Online: Authority and Rules of Senate Committees is available through govinfo.gov at https://www.govinfo.gov/
content/pkg/CDOC-118sdoc4/pdf/CDOC-118sdoc4.pdf. The rules of individual Senate committee rules may also
be found by searching the Congressional Record through Congress.gov at https://www.congress.gov/. Many Senate
committees also post these rules on the committee websites.
Print: Authority and Rules of Senate Committees for the 118th Congress (S.Doc. 118-4). This document may be
available from Senate Printing and Document Services.
Rulemaking Statutes and Budget Resolutions
The Constitution grants to each chamber of Congress authority over its own rules, allowing the
Senate to establish procedural regulations through simple resolutions, which are adopted by the
Senate alone. In certain cases, the Senate institutes procedures through provisions included in
statutory measures (bills and joint resolutions), which can become effective only through
agreement between both houses and presentation to the President (or through concurrent
resolutions, which require agreement between both houses). Given that these procedures are
created through an exercise of each chamber’s constitutional rulemaking authority, they have the
same standing as Senate and House rules. A statute or concurrent resolution that contains
“rulemaking provisions,” in this sense, often incorporates a section titled “Exercise of
Rulemaking Power.” This section asserts the rulemaking authority of each chamber and declares
that the pertinent provisions “shall be considered as part of the rules of each House” and are
subject to being changed “in the same manner ... as in the case of any other rule of such House”—
that is, for example, by adoption of a simple resolution of the Senate.26
In the Senate, statutory rulemaking provisions are principally of three kinds: (1) those derived
from Legislative Reorganization Acts, (2) those establishing expedited procedures for
consideration of specific classes of measures, and (3) those derived from the Congressional
Budget Act and related statutes governing the budget process. In addition, provisions regulating
action in the Senate during the congressional budget process may be contained in congressional
budget resolutions, which are concurrent resolutions adopted pursuant to the Congressional
Budget Act.
Legislative Reorganization Acts
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 rulemaking statutes
affecting legislative procedures. Many rulemaking provisions in these statutes were later

26 For example, Sections 904(a)(1) and 904(a)(2) of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Act of 1974, P.L. 93-
344.
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incorporated into the Senate’s standing rules, and some others appear in the compilation of Laws
Relating to the Senate presented in the Senate Manual, as discussed earlier.
Expedited Procedures
The term rulemaking statute is most often used in connection with laws that include provisions
specifying legislative procedures to be followed in one or both chambers during consideration of
a class of measure specified by the statute. This type of rulemaking statute, commonly referred to
as “expedited procedures” or “fast track” provisions, defines special procedures for congressional
approval or disapproval of specified actions proposed to be taken by the executive branch or
independent agencies. A well-known example includes the Congressional Review Act, which
provides for special procedures Congress can use to overturn a rule issued by a federal agency.27
Some of these expedited procedures are listed in the Senate Manual section titled “Select
Legislative Procedures Enacted in Law Applying to the United States Senate.”28
Budget Process Statutes
Several rulemaking statutes establish specific procedures for considering budgetary legislation.
Among the most important are the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974
(commonly known as the Congressional Budget Act) and the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act.29 For instance, Section 305(b) of the Congressional Budget Act defines
Senate floor procedures for considering the congressional budget resolution.
Procedural Provisions in Budget Resolutions
When adopted, the chief purpose of the concurrent resolution on the budget (provided for in the
Congressional Budget Act) is to establish an agreement between the House and the Senate
concerning a budget plan for the upcoming fiscal year. A budget resolution may include language
providing for supplementary procedural regulations which govern subsequent action on spending
bills or other budget-related measures. Many of these procedural provisions institute new points
of order that, similar to those established by the Congressional Budget Act itself, are available to
restrict certain budgetary language or actions. For example, beginning in 1993, Congress has
adopted several budget resolutions that have established or modified “pay-as-you-go” (PAYGO)
procedures concerning Senate consideration of legislation affecting direct spending and
revenues.30
The procedures established by these provisions may be made applicable only to budgetary action
for a defined time period, but they may also be established as permanent procedures that are
altered or abolished only by further action in a subsequent budget resolution or rulemaking
statute. Procedures set forth in congressional budget resolutions are not comprehensively
compiled in a single source and may best be identified by examining the texts of adopted
congressional budget resolutions for successive years.

27 5 U.S.C. §§801-808.
28 Selected rulemaking statutes affecting Senate procedure are also listed in Constitution, Jefferson’s Manual, and
Rules of the House of Representatives (H.Doc. 117-161), commonly referred to as the House Manual.
29 Congress has amended the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act numerous times since its enactment.
Such amendments, including the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990 and the Budget Control Act of 2011, establish
additional procedures that may guide the federal budget process.
30 For more information on PAYGO, see CRS Report RL31943, Budget Enforcement Procedures: The Senate Pay-As-
You-Go (PAYGO) Rule, by Bill Heniff Jr.
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Rulemaking Provisions in Statutes and Budget Resolutions
A discussion of statutory expedited procedures for “Congressional Approvals and Disapprovals” appears in
Riddick’s Senate Procedure at pages 496-501.
Rulemaking statutes related to the congressional budget process are presented in A Compendium of Laws and Rules
of the Congressional Budget Process (discussed below) and Riddick’s Senate Procedure on pages 502-642.
Procedural provisions in budget resolutions are best identified by examining the texts of the congressional budget
resolutions themselves. They can be identified via the search tools on Congress.gov at https://www.congress.gov/
.
Rules of Senate Party Conferences
The rules of the conferences of the two parties in the Senate are not adopted by the Senate itself,
and accordingly, they cannot be enforced on the Senate floor. Conference rules may nevertheless
affect proceedings of the Senate, for they may cover topics such as the selection of party leaders,
meetings of the conference, and limitations on committee assignments for conference members.
The Senate Democratic Conference has made its rules for the 118th Congress publicly available
online. The Senate Republican Conference most recently published rules for the 117th Congress,
which are also available online.
Rules of Senate Party Conferences (Online Access)
An online version of the Rules of the Senate Democratic Conference for the 118th Congress can be accessed via
https://www.democrats.senate.gov at https://www.democrats.senate.gov/rules-for-the-democratic-conference.
An online version of the Rules of the Senate Republican Conference for the 117th Congress can be accessed via
https://www.republican.senate.gov at https://www.republican.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/
4AD00AC45F860D42FAD37C556CB6A01F.-117th-congresss-rules-and-precedents.pdf.
Publications of Senate Committees and Offices
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 reference to official sources such as the
Senate’s standing rules and published precedents.
Electronic Senate Precedents
Senators and their staff may access, via Webster (which is not available to the public), the
Electronic Senate Precedents, a catalog of recent precedents compiled by the Office of the
Parliamentarian. These unofficial documents, provided by the Office of the Secretary of the
Senate, are updated periodically to reflect precedents on topics such as cloture and germaneness
of amendments that were established after the publication of Riddick’s Senate Procedure (1992).
The Congressional Budget Process
The Congressional Budget Process, a print of the Senate Committee on the Budget, presents a
detailed description of the federal budget-making process through the 117th Congress.31 Prepared
by Bill Dauster, former chief counsel to the Senate Budget Committee, this document contains

31 U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on the Budget, The Congressional Budget Process, committee print, 117th Cong.,
2nd sess., S.Prt. 117-23 (Washington: GPO, 2022).
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the text of key budgetary statutes as well as related precedents, legislative histories, and
explanatory commentary. The text provides comprehensive coverage of the federal budget
process in language suitable for nonexperts.32
Senate Cloture Rule
Senate Cloture Rule, a print prepared for the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration by
CRS, was last issued during the 112th Congress (2011-12).33 The print covers the rule’s history
and application through its publication and may be useful to those wanting a more detailed
knowledge of the cloture rule. Significantly, however, this print does not capture precedents
established during the 113th (2013-2014) and 115th (2017-2018) Congresses that changed the vote
thresholds for invoking cloture on various presidential nominations or the change to the
postcloture debate time established during the 116th Congress (2019-2020).34
Treaties and Other International Agreements
Treaties and Other International Agreements: The Role of the United States Senate, was prepared
as a print for the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations by CRS.35 The print provides detailed
information about the Senate’s advice and consent role, covers the procedures that govern all
stages of Senate consideration of treaties and international agreements, and discusses
congressional oversight of treaties and other international agreements. The latest edition (S.Prt.
106-71) appeared in the 106th Congress (1999-2000).
Enactment of a Law
Enactment of a Law presents a concise summary of the legislative process.36 This document,
prepared by Robert B. Dove, former Parliamentarian 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.

32 The Senate Committee on the Budget published earlier editions of this reference source in 1990, 1991, and 1993.
Their unique value lies in the informative but relatively brief annotations prepared by Bill Dauster, then chief counsel
of the Committee on the Budget. These annotations provide summaries of, and citations to, important Senate
precedents. The committee prints may be accessed in the Law Library Reading Room (242 Madison) or online at
https://budgetcounsel.com/compendia/budget-process-law-annotated/.
33 U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, Senate Cloture Rule: Limitation of Debate in the
Senate of the United States and Legislative History of Paragraph 2 of Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the United
States Senate (Cloture Rule), committee print, prepared by CRS, 112th Cong., 1st sess., S.Prt. 112-31 (Washington:
GPO, 2011).
34 In November 2013 and then in April 2017, the Senate set separate precedents that lowered the vote threshold for
invoking cloture on certain presidential nominations from three-fifths of the full Senate to a simple majority. For more
information, see CRS Report R43331, Majority Cloture for Nominations: Implications and the “Nuclear” Proceedings
of November 21, 2013, by Valerie Heitshusen; and CRS Report R44819, Senate Proceedings Establishing Majority
Cloture for Supreme Court Nominations: In Brief, by Valerie Heitshusen. In the 116th Congress, the Senate established
a precedent for postcloture debate time on certain nominations to be reduced from 30 hours to two hours. For more
information, see CRS Report RL31980, Senate Consideration of Presidential Nominations: Committee and Floor
Procedure, by Elizabeth Rybicki.
35 U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Treaties and Other International Agreements: The Role of
the United States Senate, committee print, prepared by CRS, 106th Cong., 2nd sess., S.Prt. 106-71 (Washington: GPO,
2001).
36 U.S. Senate, Enactment of a Law, prepared by Robert B. Dove, Parliamentarian (Washington: GPO, 1997).
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How Our Laws Are Made
How Our Laws Are Made, first published in 1953 by the House Committee on the Judiciary,
provides a summary of the legislative process from the drafting of legislation to final approval
and presidential action.37 While this document focuses on House procedures, it includes a review
of Senate committee and floor procedures prepared by the Office of the Parliamentarian of the
Senate. Although the document is intended for nonspecialists, its summary descriptions of House
procedures serve as a useful reference source.
Publications of Senate Offices and Committees (Online Access)
•
The Electronic Senate Precedents are available through the Senate’s internal portal, Webster (only available to
Senate offices), at http://webster.senate.gov.
•
The Congressional Budget Process is available from govinfo.gov at https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CPRT-
117SPRT49524.
•
Senate Cloture Rule can be consulted via govinfo.gov at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CPRT-
112SPRT66046/pdf/CPRT-112SPRT66046.pdf.
•
Treaties and Other International Agreements: The Role of the United States Senate is available through
govinfo.gov at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CPRT-106SPRT66922/pdf/CPRT-106SPRT66922.pdf.
•
Enactment of a Law can be accessed through Congress.gov at https://www.congress.gov/help/learn-about-
the-legislative-process/enactment-of-a-law.
•
How Our Laws Are Made is available via Congress.gov at https://www.congress.gov/help/learn-about-the-
legislative-process/how-our-laws-are-made.

37 U.S. Congress, House, How Our Laws Are Made, prepared by John V. Sullivan, Parliamentarian, 110th Cong., 1st
sess., H.Doc. 110-49 (Washington: GPO, 2007).
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Appendix A. Selected CRS Products on Senate
Procedure
These reports are available to congressional staff through the CRS home page at
http://www.crs.gov. These reports may also be accessed through the Legislative and Budget
Process section of the CRS website at https://www.crs.gov/iap/legislative-and-budget-process.
CRS Report 98-853, The Amending Process in the Senate, by Christopher M. Davis.
CRS Report R41003, Amendments Between the Houses: Procedural Options and Effects, by
Elizabeth Rybicki.
CRS Report RL30862, The Budget Reconciliation Process: The Senate’s “Byrd Rule”, by Bill
Heniff Jr.
CRS Report 96-708, Conference Committee and Related Procedures: An Introduction, by
Elizabeth Rybicki.
CRS Report RL30360, Filibusters and Cloture in the Senate, by Valerie Heitshusen.
CRS Report 98-865, Flow of Business: A Typical Day on the Senate Floor, by Christopher M.
Davis.
CRS Report R43563, “Holds” in the Senate, by Mark J. Oleszek.
CRS Report RS20668, How Measures Are Brought to the Senate Floor: A Brief Introduction, by
Christopher M. Davis.
CRS Report 98-425, Invoking Cloture in the Senate, by Christopher M. Davis.
CRS Report 96-548, The Legislative Process on the Senate Floor: An Introduction, by Valerie
Heitshusen.
CRS Report R47413, Points of Order in the Congressional Budget Process, by James V. Saturno
and Megan S. Lynch.
CRS Report 98-306, Points of Order, Rulings, and Appeals in the Senate, by Valerie Heitshusen.
CRS Report 98-696, Resolving Legislative Differences in Congress: Conference Committees and
Amendments Between the Houses, by Elizabeth Rybicki.
CRS Report RL31980, Senate Consideration of Presidential Nominations: Committee and Floor
Procedure, by Elizabeth Rybicki.
CRS Report 98-308, Senate Legislative Procedures: Published Sources of Information, by
Christopher M. Davis.
CRS Report 98-311, Senate Rules Affecting Committees, by Valerie Heitshusen.
CRS Report 96-452, Voting and Quorum Procedures in the Senate, coordinated by Elizabeth
Rybicki.
Appendix B. Senate Parliamentary Reference
Information Available Online
The vast majority of the referenced links found throughout this report can be accessed through
one of two “gateway” websites maintained by legislative branch organizations: Congress.gov (a
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website of the Library of Congress) and govinfo.gov (a website of GPO). Each of these sites
provides an entry point for research into Senate procedures. The websites provided for the
documents discussed in this report are current as of the report’s publication date.
Congress.gov
http://www.congress.gov/
Congress.gov is the official website for U.S. federal legislative information.38 The site is designed
to provide access to accurate, timely, and complete legislative information for Members of
Congress, legislative agencies, and the public. Congress.gov also contains information on topics
such as nominations, public laws, communications, and treaties. It is presented by the Library of
Congress using data from the Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Office
of the Secretary of the Senate, GPO, Congressional Budget Office, and CRS.
govinfo.gov
https://www.govinfo.gov/
Govinfo.gov is a service of the GPO. The website provides public access to official publications
of the Congress.39

Author Information

Sarah B. Solomon

Analyst on Congress and the Legislative Process

Acknowledgments
Previous versions of this report were updated by Richard S. Beth, former Senior Specialist on Congress and
the Legislative Process at CRS; Megan S. Lynch, Specialist on Congress and the Legislative Process; and
Gail E. Baitinger, former Analyst on Congress and the Legislative Process. Thank you to CRS Visual
Information Specialist Amber Wilhelm for creating the graphic in this report.

38 See https://www.congress.gov/about for more information about the website.
39 See https://www.govinfo.gov/about for more information about the website.
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Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan
shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and
under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other
than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in
connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not
subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in
its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or
material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you wish to
copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.

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