III 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 24 

To propose a standing order to govern extended debate. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 25 (legislative day, JANUARY 5), 2011 

Mr. MERKLEY (for himself and Mr. UDALL of New Mexico) submitted the 

following resolution; which was ordered to lie over under the rule 

RESOLUTION 

To propose a standing order to govern extended debate. 

1 Resolved, 

2 SECTION 1. STANDING ORDER FOR EXTENDED DEBATE. 

3 (a) STANDING ORDER.—This section shall be a 

4 standing order of the Senate. 

5 (b) RULES FOR EXTENDED DEBATE.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—If a question to close debate 

7 on a measure, motion, or other matter is decided in 

8 the negative and a majority of senators present and 

9 voting have voted to bring debate to a close, the ex10 tended debate procedures under this section shall be 

11 in order at any time if that measure, motion or 

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1 other matter has continued as the only pending busi2 ness subsequent to the vote against closing debate. 

3 (2) CLOSING DEBATE.—Under the cir4 cumstances described in paragraph (1), it shall be in 

5 order for the Majority Leader or his designee to 

6 move to bring debate on the pending measure, mo7 tion, or other matter to a close on the grounds that 

8 no Senator seeks recognition to debate the matter. 

9 Immediately after the motion is made and before 

10 putting the question thereon, the Presiding Officer 

11 shall immediately inquire whether any Senator seeks 

12 recognition for the purpose of debating the matter 

13 on which the Senate had previously voted against 

14 closing debate. If a Senator seeks recognition for 

15 that purpose, the Presiding Officer shall announce 

16 that the Senate is proceeding under extended debate 

17 and shall recognize a Senator who seeks recognition 

18 for debate. After the Presiding Officer’s announce19 ment under the preceding sentence the Senate shall 

20 continue to proceed under extended debate subject to 

21 paragraph (3). 

22 (3) EXTENDED DEBATE.— 

23 (A) IN GENERAL.—If the Senate enters 

24 into extended debate under this paragraph, no 

25 dilatory motions, motions to suspend any rule 

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1 or any part thereof, nor dilatory quorum calls 

2 shall be entertained. 

3 (B) CONDITIONS FOR ENDING DEBATE.— 

4 If during extended debate the proceedings de5 scribed in either subparagraph (C), (D), or (E) 

6 occur and unless the Majority Leader or his 

7 designee withdraws the motion made under 

8 paragraph (2), the Senate shall proceed imme9 diately to vote on that motion or to vote at a 

10 time designated by the Majority Leader or his 

11 designee within the next four calendar days of 

12 Senate session. When voted on, that motion 

13 shall be decided by a majority of Senators cho14 sen and sworn. 

15 (C) DEBATE ENDS.—If, at any point dur16 ing extended debate when no Senator is recog17 nized, no Senator seeks recognition, the Pre18 siding Officer shall renew the inquiry as to 

19 whether a Senator seeks recognition and shall 

20 recognize a Senator who seeks recognition for 

21 the purpose of debate. If no Senator then seeks 

22 recognition (or if no Senator sought recognition 

23 in response to the Presiding Officer’s inquiry 

24 under paragraph (2)), the Senate shall dispose 

25 of the motion of the Majority Leader (or his 

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1 designee) to bring debate to a close pursuant to 

2 paragraph (2), in the manner specified in sub3 paragraph (B). 

4 (D) QUORUM CALLS.— 

5 (i) QUESTION.—If, at any point dur6 ing extended debate, a Senator having 

7 been recognized raises a question of the 

8 presence of a quorum, the Presiding Offi9 cer shall renew the inquiry as to whether 

10 a Senator seeks recognition, and shall rec11 ognize a Senator who seeks recognition for 

12 debate. 

13 (ii) DISPOSITION.—If no Senator then 

14 seeks recognition for debate under clause 

15 (i)— 

16 (I) the Presiding Officer shall di17 rect the Clerk to call the roll; 

18 (II) upon the establishment of a 

19 quorum, the Senate shall dispose of 

20 the motion of the Majority Leader (or 

21 his designee) to bring debate to a 

22 close pursuant to paragraph 1 in the 

23 manner specified in subparagraph 

24 (B); and 

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1 (III) if the Senate adjourns for 

2 lack of a quorum, then when the Sen3 ate next convenes and the morning 

4 hour or any period for morning busi5 ness is expired or is deemed to be ex6 pired, the Senate shall dispose of the 

7 motion of the Majority Leader (or his 

8 designee) made to bring debate to a 

9 close pursuant to paragraph (2) in the 

10 manner specified in subparagraph 

11 (B). 

12 (E) MOTIONS.— 

13 (i) IN GENERAL.—If at any point dur14 ing extended debate a Senator having been 

15 recognized moves to adjourn, recess, post16 pone the pending matter, or proceed to 

17 other business and unless the motion is 

18 made or seconded by the Majority Leader 

19 or his designee, the Presiding Officer shall 

20 renew the inquiry as to whether a Senator 

21 seeks recognition, and shall recognize a 

22 Senator who seeks recognition for debate, 

23 and said motion shall be considered with24 drawn. If no Senator then seeks recogni25 tion for debate, then the Presiding Officer 

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1 shall immediately put the question on the 

2 motion offered, unless the vote is delayed 

3 as provided in clause (ii). 

4 (ii) RECONVENING.—If the Senate 

5 agrees to a motion to adjourn or recess it 

6 shall resume consideration of the pending 

7 measure, motion or other matter pending 

8 at the time of adjournment or recess when 

9 it first takes up business after it next re10 convenes, and the Senate shall still be in a 

11 period of extended debate. Upon the nega12 tive disposition of the motion to adjourn, 

13 recess, postpone, or proceed to other busi14 ness and unless such motion was made by 

15 the Majority Leader or his designee, the 

16 Senate shall dispose of the motion of the 

17 Majority Leader (or his designee) to bring 

18 debate to a close pursuant to paragraph 

19 (2) in the manner specified in subpara20 graph (B). 

21 (iii) DELAY.—During a period of ex22 tended debate, the Majority Leader or his 

23 designee may delay any vote until a des24 ignated time within the next 4 calendar 

25 days of Senate session, and any votes ormstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with BILLS

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1 dered or occurring thereafter shall likewise 

2 be delayed. 

3 (4) FINAL DISPOSITION.—If the motion of the 

4 Majority Leader to bring debate to a close pursuant 

5 to paragraph (2) is agreed to by a majority of Sen6 ators chosen and sworn, the Presiding Officer shall 

7 announce that extended debate is ended and that the 

8 measure, motion, or other matter pending before the 

9 Senate shall be the unfinished business to the exclu10 sion of all other business until disposed of and fur11 ther proceedings on the measure, motion or other 

12 matter shall occur as if the Senate had decided to 

13 invoke cloture. If the Majority Leader withdraws the 

14 motion to bring debate to a close pursuant to para15 graph (2) or that motion is not agreed to by a ma16 jority of Senators chosen and sworn the Presiding 

17 Officer shall announce that extended debate is 

18 ended. 

Æ 

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