A resolution amending the Standing Rules of the Senate to enable the participation of absent Senators during a national crisis.

Bill: 117-sres-201
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH]
Introduced: 2021-04-29
Policy area: Congress
Subjects: Congressional operations and organization

Legislative rules and procedure

Members of Congress

Senate
Latest action: action_date: 2021-04-29
text: Referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. (text: CR S2370)

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-04-29
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This resolution sets forth procedures that allow Senators to cast their votes from outside of the Senate chamber. Specifically, these votes may be cast using certain technology approved by the Secretary of the Senate and Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper if the majority leader and minority leader jointly determine that an extraordinary crisis of national extent exists in which it would be infeasible for Senators to cast their votes in person.</p>

tv_txt: III 117th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 201 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 29, 2021 Mr. Portman (for himself, Mr. Durbin , Ms. Warren , Mr. Sanders , Mr. King , and Mr. Schatz ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration RESOLUTION Amending the Standing Rules of the Senate to enable the participation of absent Senators during a national crisis.

1. Participation of absent Senators during a national crisis Rule XII of the Standing Rules of the Senate is amended by adding at the end the following: 5. Senators may use technology that has been approved by the Secretary of the Senate and the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate as reliable and secure to cast their votes from outside of the Senate Chamber if the majority leader or his or her designee and the minority leader or his or her designee jointly determine that an extraordinary crisis of national extent exists in which it would be infeasible for Senators to cast their votes in person. If such a crisis is determined to exist, Senators may cast votes under this paragraph during the 30-day period beginning on the date on which such determination is made, unless such period is extended for one or more additional 30-day periods by an affirmative vote of three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen and sworn. During such period, Senators participating remotely and using approved technology to cast their votes under this paragraph shall be deemed present for purposes of establishing the presence of a quorum. The determination made under this paragraph shall not rely on any decision of any other branch of the United States Government. The majority leader or his or her designee and the minority leader or his or her designee shall submit at the beginning of the first session of each Congress an order for designees of each caucus in the case of such a crisis. .