1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

FOUNDATION FOR THE MINORITY PARTY’S RIGHTS IN THE SENATE (Fall 2009) Senate rules protect the minority’s right to full debate on all measures unless 60+ Senators vote to limit these rights. I. Minority Rights Before Floor Consideration (Usually waived by Unanimous Consent (UC), but any Senator may object.) • New Legislative Day: Triggered by adjournment, not recess, and begins with a 2-hour “morning hour” where Senators can make non-debatable motions to proceed. • One & Two Day Rules: Bills must lie over one legislative day before consideration. If a committee files a written report, it must include cost estimates and be available for two calendar days. Measures not meeting these requirements may be blocked. • “Hard” Quorum Calls: If UC is denied to waive a quorum call, roll must continue. If a quorum is absent, only adjournment or motions to compel attendance are allowed. II. Minority Rights During Consideration (Many are waived by UC.) • Motions to Proceed: Except for Conference Reports and Budget Resolutions, most are fully debatable and require 60 votes for cloture. • Reading Amendments & Conference Reports: Full text must be read unless UC is granted. Any Senator may object. If the Majority Leader offers a full-text substitute amendment, its reading can only be waived by UC. Conference reports must be available in printed form to avoid mandatory reading. • Points of Order: Any Senator may challenge a procedural violation. If the presiding officer rules, the ruling may be appealed and debated. Some points of order, like constitutional challenges, go directly to a Senate vote. Each tabling motion requires two roll call votes, causing delays.