The bi-partisan amendment was incorporated by the floor leader into the Defense Department authorization bill that is likely to be completed by the Senate tonight. Today, an informal Senate tradition is practiced whereby individual senators can place a hold on any bill or nomination. The name of the senator who has objected is kept confidential by the floor leader of the senator's political party. According to analysis by the Bureau of National Affairs, the holds system is more complicated than commonly thought. Hold procedures differ on the Republican and Democratic sides of the aisle.
Informal rules govern placing, discovering and removing holds.
There are variations in the kinds of holds. Varying views exist about whether holds can be anonymous. And even the administration uses holds placed through senators. They really can smooth the flow of Senate business. Grassley said the problem is that senators are not required to be up-front about their objections, so holds can be misused to stall Senate consideration of a certain proposal indefinitely.