Senate

A “maiden speech” is the first speech that an elected official makes in front of a legislature.

The term is most commonly used in the …

A quorum call is a procedure used in both houses of Congress to bring to the floor the number of members who must be present …

The Byrd rule is a parliamentary tripwire that prevents tangential material from being included in a budget reconciliation bill in the Senate.

Reconciliation legislation is …

A “one-house bill” is a bill introduced by a lawmaker for the purpose of grandstanding or to demonstrate their effort to fulfill political promises without …

The “nuclear option” is a metaphorical term that refers to a parliamentary procedure in the U.S. Senate allowing for a significant change to the rules …

A tag-team hold is when two or more senators agree to circumvent a 2011 resolution limiting secret senate holds to two days.

One senator will …

A “Mae West hold” is a type of Senate hold nicknamed because of the senator’s implied desire to make a deal, rather than block a …

“Ping pong” refers to reconciling the differences between a House-passed bill and a Senate-passed bill by amendments between the chambers, rather than forming a conference …

A “Senate hold” is how a U.S. senator informally signals his objection to a bill or presidential nomination.

Most congressional actions clear parliamentary hurdles by …

Blue-slipping is a term that originates from the United States Congress and refers to a procedural action taken by the House of Representatives to assert …

“Filling the tree” is a procedure used by the Senate Majority Leader to offer a sufficient number of amendments on legislation to “fill the tree” …

A “Cherokee Strip” is the seating area in the U.S. Senate chamber when some members of the majority party mist sit on the side of …

The U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate each have a sergeant-at-arms, whose job it is to maintain order in the legislative chamber.

The sergeant-at-arms …

The term “germane” is used to describe the requirement that proposed amendments or provisions introduced during the legislative process must be relevant and directly related …

“Smell of jet fuel” is a reference to the impatience that sets in when Members of Congress are ready to leave Washington, D.C. to return …

Franking privileges allow lawmakers to send mail to constituents without having to pay postage.

A copy of the member’s signature replaces the stamp …

The mark-up is the committee meeting held to review the text of a bill before reporting it to the floor.

The mark-up process plays a …

The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress.

It is a comprehensive and authoritative reference source …

“Advice and Consent” is a critical phrase in the United States Constitution that outlines a key aspect of the checks and balances among the three …

The “candy desk” is where a supply of candy is kept in the U.S. Senate.

Sen. George Murphy (R-CA) originated the practice of keeping a …

The term “vote-a-rama” is used to refer to a marathon session of voting in the United States Senate.

This typically occurs during the consideration of …

Leader time is the ten minute time allotted to Senate leaders at the start of the daily session.

It refers to a period set aside…

Hideaways are personal, unmarked offices in the Capitol originally assigned to senior senators. They are often conveniently located near the Senate floor.

The hideaway location …

The Committee of the Whole is a procedural device used to expedite debates in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The House of Representatives uses this …

A junket is a trip taken by a politicians with expenses paid for with public funds.

Junkets are a common practice in politics, and are …

Earmarks are funds that are allocated to a specific program, project or for a designated purpose, or that direct specific exemptions from taxes or mandated …

Morning business is routine business that is supposed to occur during the first two hours of a new legislative day in the U.S. Senate.

This …

Named for their opening salutation, a “Dear Colleague letter” is an official communication distributed in bulk by a lawmaker to all members of Congress.

They …

Cats and dogs are are leftover “stray” bills on minor subjects saved for days when the House or Senate have light floor schedules.

It is …

In a legislative context, to “lay on the table” refers to the action of temporarily postponing consideration of a motion or bill.

This is typically …

A “lame duck session” is when the House or Senate reconvenes in an even-numbered year following the November general elections to consider various …

Unanimous consent is a legislative procedure whereby a legislator requests approval by all legislators to approve rule changes and bills.

The rules have been used …

The “aisle” refers to the space which divides the majority side from the minority on the House and Senate floor.

When debating, members frequently refer …

In politics, cloakrooms are spaces adjacent to the chambers of the Senate and the House where politicians from both parties can gather to discuss Congressional …

The “yeas and nays” is a recorded roll call vote of members of the House or Senate.

The term “yeas” refers to votes in favor …

A “hopper” refers to a physical box or an electronic system where proposed bills or resolutions are submitted in a legislative body.

The concept comes …

“Inside the Beltway” is a term used to describe the political landscape and culture within the Capital Beltway, the Interstate 495 highway that encircles …

“Riddick’s Senate Procedure” is a comprehensive reference work that serves as the definitive guide to the rules, practices, and precedents governing the United States Senate.…

The term “ex officio” comes from the Latin phrase “from the office,” and in politics it refers to someone who is part of a political …

A caucus is an informal meeting of local party members to discuss candidates and choose delegates to their party’s convention.

It can also refer to …

A “codel,” or congressional delegation, is a group of members of the United States Congress who travel together on official business.

These trips …

Impeachment is the process by which a public official, such as the President of the United States, can be removed from office for …

A “live pair” refers to a situation where two lawmakers have agreed to not vote on a particular matter.

This is typically done as a …

The term “sine die” is a Latin phrase that literally means “without a day” or “without setting a day.”

In politics, it is …

A bill is a proposed law introduced in either the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate.

A bill originating in the House is …

“Cloture” is legislative term referring to a motion or process by which debate is brought to a quick end.

Origin of “Cloture”

From the French …