A resolution to improve procedures for the consideration of legislation and nominations in the Senate.

Bill: 113-sres-15
Sponsor: Sen. Reid, Harry [D-NV]
Introduced: 2013-01-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Congress
Subjects: Federal district courts
Federal officials
Judges
Legislative rules and procedure
Senate

Summary:
action_date: 2013-01-24
text: 
Limits to: (1) four hours of debate for a motion to proceed to the consideration of a measure or matter, applying specified conditions on the proposal of amendments if the motion to proceed is agreed to; (2) eight hours of post-cloture consideration for a nomination, except for the nomination of an individual to a position at level I of the Executive Schedule, or to serve as a federal judge or justice appointed to hold office during good behavior; and (3) two hours of post-cloture consideration for U.S. district court nominations.
 
Requires consideration of legislation and of nominations to be equally divided in the usual form.

action_date: 2013-01-24
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

 
Limits to four hours any debate on a motion to proceed to the consideration of a measure or matter. Applies the following conditions on the proposal of amendments if the motion to proceed is agreed to:
 
 
the first amendments in order shall be one first-degree amendment each offered by the minority, the majority, the minority, and the majority (with forfeiture of the right to offer an amendment if it is not offered in its designated order);
 
makes it out of order, if a cloture motion has been filed, for: (1) the minority to propose its first amendment unless it has been submitted to the Senate Journal Clerk by 1:00 p.m. on the day following the filing of the cloture motion, (2) the majority to propose its first amendment unless it has been submitted by 3:00 p.m. on such day, (3) the minority to propose its second amendment unless it has been submitted by 5:00 p.m on such day, or (4) the majority to propose its second amendment unless it has been submitted by 7:00 p.m. on such day;
 
forfeiture of the right to offer any amendment that is not timely submitted;
 
disposal of the first-degree amendment offered must occur before the next first-degree amendment in order may be offered;
 
an amendment is not divisible or subject to amendment while pending;
 
a first-degree amendment, if adopted, shall be considered original text for the purpose of further amendment;
 
no points of order shall be waived by virtue of this resolution; and
 
no motion to commit or recommit shall be in order during the pendency of any first-degree amendment.
 
 
Declares that if cloture is invoked on a measure or matter before all first-degree amendments are disposed of: (1) any such amendment in order but not actually pending upon the expiration of post-cloture time may be offered and may be debated for up to one hour, equally divided in the usual form; and (2) any such amendment ruled non-germane on a point of order shall not fall upon that ruling, but instead remain pending and require 60 affirmative votes to be adopted.
 
Limits post-cloture consideration to: (1) eight hours for any nomination except one to a position at level I of the Executive Schedule or to serve as a federal judge or justice appointed to hold office during good behavior, and (2) two hours for any U.S. district court nominations.
 
Requires consideration of legislation and of nominations to be equally divided in the usual form.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-01-24
text: Resolution agreed to in Senate, under the order of 1/24/2012, having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 78 - 16. Record Vote Number: 1. (text: CR S272)
action_date: 2013-01-24
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Resolution agreed to in Senate, under the order of 1/24/2012, having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 78 - 16. Record Vote Number: 1.(text: CR S272)
action_date: 2013-01-24
text: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S270-274; text of measure as introduced: CR S293)
action_date: 2013-01-24
text: Submitted in the Senate. (text of measure as introduced: CR S293)
action_date: 2013-01-24
text: Introduced in Senate