Members may also request permission to speak briefly on any subject that concerns them. During an executive session the Senate may consider any nomination and treaty that the president submits for the Senate's advice and consent. Nominations are confirmed by a simple majority, but the Constitution requires a two-thirds vote of the Senate to approve treaties. For much of the Senate's history, all executive sessions were conducted in secret, with the galleries cleared and the doors locked, enabling senators to speak freely about the character of nominees and to avoid causing any embarrassment to the nation's treaty partners. Not until 1929 were executive sessions routinely open to the public and the press.
Legislative business consumes the largest share of the senate's time.
When committees report out legislation, the majority Leader will attempt to schedule it for debate in the chamber. If a single member objects, however, the Senate might not consider the bill at all, or may debate it at length and a roll call vote might be ordered. To expedite matters, the leadership may request unanimous consent to establish a time limit on debate for a specific legislative measure. When a bill is being debated, the floor managers of the two parties will often take the front row, center aisle seats of the Majority and Minority Leaders. If a time limit has been established, they will allot portions of their times to senators wishing to speak for or against the bill.