Title: A resolution amending rule XV of the Standing Rules of the Senate to provide for consideration of a minimum number of amendments.
Policy area: Congress

Summary:
Amends Rule XV (Amendments and Motions) of the Standing Rules of the Senate to make it in order in the Senate during the consideration of any bill, resolution, or other amendable matter to consider at least five germane amendments offered each by the majority and by the minority.
Specifies a general procedure for the offering of these amendments if a motion to invoke cloture is presented to the Senate before either the majority or the minority has offered all five of its minimum number of amendments.
Allows an exemption from the germaneness requirement for one amendment offered by a member of the majority and one amendment offered by a member of the minority. Specifies that an amendment that is exempted from the requirement may only be agreed to upon a vote of three-fifths of all Senators.
Authorizes the majority leader and minority leader, by mutual agreement, to call up additional germane amendments under this rule in equal number by members of the majority and of the minority.
Limits consideration of such an amendment by the Senate to two hours, divided equally between the majority and the minority.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 729 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 729

  Amending rule XV of the Standing Rules of the Senate to provide for 
            consideration of a minimum number of amendments.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           December 13, 2018

 Mr. Merkley submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
               the Committee on Rules and Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Amending rule XV of the Standing Rules of the Senate to provide for 
            consideration of a minimum number of amendments.

    Resolved,

SECTION 1. GUARANTEED AMENDMENTS.

    Rule XV of the Standing Rules of the Senate is amended by adding at 
the end the following:
    ``6.(a) During the consideration of any bill, resolution, or other 
amendable matter, it shall be in order for the Senate to consider not 
less than 5 amendments offered by members of the majority and not less 
than 5 amendments offered by members of the minority. If a motion to 
invoke cloture under the provisions of rule XXII is presented to the 
Senate, and fewer than the 5 amendments guaranteed to each of the 
minority and the majority under this paragraph have been considered, 
then, notwithstanding the status of any pending amendments, it shall be 
in order for as many members of the majority as appropriate, and as 
many members of the minority as appropriate, to offer 1 amendment each, 
in alternating order, until in total 5 amendments offered by members of 
the majority and 5 amendments offered by members of the minority have 
been considered.
    ``(b) Amendments offered under this paragraph may only pertain to 
matter encompassed by the title of the bill, resolution, or other 
matter, except that 1 amendment offered by a member of the majority and 
1 amendment offered by a member of the minority may be exempted from 
this requirement. An amendment exempted from this requirement shall 
only be agreed to upon an affirmative vote of three-fifths of Senators 
duly chosen and sworn.
    ``(c) The majority leader and minority leader may, by mutual 
agreement, call up additional amendments under the provisions of this 
paragraph. Such additional amendments shall be offered in equal number 
by members of the majority and members of the minority, and may only 
pertain to subject matter encompassed by the title of the bill, 
resolution, or other matter.
    ``(d) Consideration by the Senate of an amendment offered under the 
provisions of this paragraph shall be limited to not more than 2 hours, 
divided equally between the majority and the minority.''.
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