POLS 15 - Senate - Bills - 4/14/25

What is the first step for a bill in the Senate?

The bill is introduced by submitting it to the clerks on the Senate floor.

What role does the subcommittee play in the Senate bill process?

It can table the bill, hold hearings with experts, and conduct a mark-up session to amend and modify the bill.

After the subcommittee, what is the next step in the Senate?

The full committee votes on the bill and reports their findings.

What is necessary for a bill to proceed under Unanimous Consent?

All 100 senators must agree on amendments, debate time, and start date.

What is a filibuster?

A procedural tool allowing a senator to speak continuously to delay or block a bill (“talking a bill to death”).

How can a filibuster be ended?

Using “cloture,” which requires 16 signatures to petition and then a 60-vote majority in the Senate.

What is the purpose of a cloture vote?

To end a filibuster and move forward with a bill.

How does the Senate manage debate times if unanimous consent is not granted?

Typically, bills require 60 votes amid filibuster threats, making debate more controlled.

What is a conference committee?

A committee of House and Senate members who create a new bill after both chambers pass different versions.

How many votes does the House require to pass a bill after a conference committee?

218 out of 435 votes.

How many votes does the Senate need to pass a bill after a conference committee?

51 out of 100 votes, but it still requires unanimous consent for the final vote process.

What are the options the president has upon receiving a bill?

Sign it, do nothing (which can lead to it becoming law or a pocket veto), or veto it.

What is a pocket veto?

When the president does nothing within 10 days and Congress is out of session, the bill is vetoed without a formal veto.