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 done when the legislative body, such as a parliament or congress, determines that it is …
“Inside the Beltway” is a term used to describe the political landscape and culture within the Capital Beltway, the Interstate 495 highway that encircles Washington, D.C.
It is often used to refer to the political and media establishments within …
A “codel,” or congressional delegation, is a group of members of the United States Congress who travel together on official business.
These trips are often called “codels,” and they can include visits to other countries, meetings with foreign …
Legislators introduce bills by placing them in the bill hopper attached to the side of the clerk’s desk.
The term derives from a funnel-shaped storage bin filled from the top and emptied from the bottom, which is often used to …
Named after Senate Parliamentarian Emeritus Floyd M. Riddick, this Senate document contains the contemporary precedents and practices of the U.S. Senate.
It is updated periodically by the Senate Parliamentarian.…
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 business privately. There is a separate cloakroom for each political party. Put simply, a cloakroom …
A pro forma session is a brief meeting of a legislative body, typically lasting only a few minutes, during which no formal business is conducted.
These sessions are often used to fulfill a procedural requirement or to demonstrate
“Cloture” is legislative term referring to a motion or process by which debate is brought to a quick end.
From the French word meaning “the act of terminating something,” cloture is “basically a vote to go ahead on a vote, …
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 designated by the letters “H.R.” followed by a number and bills introduced in the Senate …
A filibuster is a tactic used in the United States Senate to block or delay action on a piece of legislation.
It is often associated with prolonged speeches, but can also take the form of other tactics such
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 form of compromise or to avoid taking a stance on an issue.
In a pair, …
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 UK and in Commonwealth countries, but it is also used in the United States.
A …
The term “sine die” is a Latin phrase that literally means “without a day” or “without setting a day.”
In politics, it is used to signify the end of a legislative session without a specific date being set …
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 for the legislative body to conduct its business.
The quorum call is established in Article …
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 ability to actually pass the bill into law.
One-house bills are often introduced to …
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 inform his party leader of his intent to place a hold. Before two days pass, …
The “nuclear option” is when the presiding officer of the U.S. Senate disregards a rule or precedent.
This most commonly refers to an effort by the Senate to end a filibuster by a simple majority, even though rules specify that …
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 legislative action entirely.
The reference to movie star Mae West alludes to her frequently misquoted …
“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 committee.
The formal term is “messages between the Houses” and is much simpler than a …
If the Senate initiates appropriations legislation, the House practice is to return it to the Senate with a blue piece of paper attached citing a constitutional infringement since all measures are supposed to originate in the House. The practice of …
A Senate hold is how a senator informally signals his objection to a bill or nomination.
Most congressional actions clear parliamentary hurdles by “unanimous consent” of the Senate, so a senator who intends to object to such procedures can, effectively, …
In politics, if you want to follow legislation that’s introduced both on the local and national levels, it’s important to understand the meaning of the term “germane.”
“Germane” is typically defined as “in close relationship, appropriate, relative or pertinent to.” …
“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” so that no other senator can offer an amendment.
Congressional Institute: “By tradition, the …
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 minority party.
The term in the U.S. Senate comes from the a strip 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.
In the Senate, the sergeant-at-arms can also be instructed to request the presence of senators if not …
“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 to their districts for the weekend or a legislative recess.…
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 supply of candy in his desk for the enjoyment of his colleagues in 1965.
Soon …
The mark-up is the committee meeting held to review the text of a bill before reporting it to the floor.
Committee members do not make changes to the text but can vote on proposed amendments. In conclusion, members vote on …
Franking privileges allow lawmakers to send mail to constituents without having to pay postage.
A copy of the member’s signature replaces the stamp on the envelope.
Authentic signatures of famous individuals are often valuable collectors’ items.
Franking privileges …
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 a budget resolution, which is a non-binding document that outlines the priorities and spending plans …
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 often used as a way for politicians and government officials to travel to other countries …
Funds that are allocated to a specific program, project or for a designated purpose. Revenues are earmarked by law. Expenditures are earmarked by appropriations bills or reports.
According to the Office of Management & Budget definition, earmarks include:
Cats and dogs are are leftover “stray” bills on minor subjects saved for days when the House or Senate have light floor schedules.…
Hideaways are personal, unmarked offices in the Capitol originally assigned to senior senators. They are conveniently located near the Senate floor.
The hideaway location of an individual Senator is a closely held secret, most with no names on the doors. …
Under Article II of the United States Constitution, presidential nominations for executive and judicial posts take effect only when confirmed by the U.S. Senate. In addition, international treaties become effective only when the U.S. Senate approves them by a two-thirds …
The Committee of the Whole is a procedural device used to expedite debates in the U.S. House of Representatives.
To use it, the House adjourns and enters into a committee, with all representatives being members – this procedure allows congressmen …
The official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. It is published daily when Congress is in session. At the back of each daily issue is the “Daily Digest,” which summarizes the day’s floor and committee …
A “lame duck session” is when the House or Senate reconvenes in an even-numbered year following the November general elections to consider various items of business.
It’s called this because some of the lawmakers who return for this …
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 business includes receiving messages from the President and from the other legislative chamber, reports from …
An informal meeting of local party members to discuss candidates and choose delegates to their party’s convention.
The term can also refer to informal groups of Members of the House of Representatives or the Senate used to discuss common issues …
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 body just by virtue of holding a different elected office.
The most common example of …
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 can be used to inform other members about an upcoming hearing or vote, to request …
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 to their party affiliation as “my side of the aisle.”
When facing the front of …
Leader time is the ten minute time allotted to majority and minority leaders at the start of the daily session.
Leaders use the time to discuss any important issues or the day’s legislative agenda. All or part of the leader …
Unanimous consent is a legislative procedure whereby a legislator requests approval by all legislators to approve rule changes and bills.
Unanimous consent rules have been used in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate since their first meetings in 1789. A …
The yeas and nays is a recorded roll call vote of members of the House or Senate.
The U.S. Constitution directs that “the yeas and nays of the members of either house, on any question, shall, at the desire of …
Impeachment is the process by which a public official, such as the President of the United States, can be removed from office for committing “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.”
This process is outlined in the …