Cloakrooms - Small rooms for Democrats and Republicans located off the floor of the Senate and House of Representatives, where members can go for informal conferences and phone calls. Closed Rule - A rule granted by the House Rules Committee that prohibits amendments to a particular bill during floor action. Cloture - The procedure by which a filibuster can be ended in the Senate. Cloture requires the signatures of 16 Senators and the votes of three- fifths of the Senate. This device enables the House to act with a quorum of 100 instead of the normally required 218.
All debate is confined to the pending bill.
Concurrent Resolution - A statement of opinion approved by a simple majority in the House and Senate but not sent to the President for approval. Conference Committee - A special committee formed to reconcile differences between differing versions of a bill passed by the Senate and House. Conference committee members, or conferees, are appointed from the bill's sponsoring committees in each chamber. Congressional Record - The daily printed account of the proceedings of the House and Senate. Congressional Terms of Office - Congressional terms normally begin on January 3 of the year following a general election.