Generally, amendments need not be germane , or directly related, to the bill. Most bills are passed by voice vote with only a handful of senators present. Any Member can request a roll call , or recorded vote, on an amendment or on final passage of a measure. The Senate leadership tries to schedule roll call votes at a time convenient to Members. As such, few votes are held on Mondays or Fridays, when Members often are in their home states.
Roll call is casual.
Few Members answer the clerk as their names are called. The Senate might pass as many as a dozen bills on the Senate calendar in just a few minutes. Just before finishing up, the majority leader seeks unanimous consent for his or her agenda for the next session.