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A Bill in the Senate

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Standing Committee

  • 16 Senate standing committees.
  • As in the House,

they review all the bills introduced in their topic areas.

Chairman Jerry Moran (R-KS)

19 members

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Sub-Committee

  • As in the House,

these are smaller subdivisions of standing committees.

  • which perform the Three Rs on bills.

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Return to Standing Committee

  • As in the House,

after receiving a Report back from a sub-committee, they vote on the bill here.

  • A simple-majority is needed to move the bill forward.

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Senate Majority Leader

  • This one Senator alone decides which bills get debated and when.
  • Currently it is John Thune (R-SD)
  • He is the single most powerful member of the entire Congress.

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Floor Debate

  • Unlike in the House,

Senators can talk for as long as they want, about whatever they want.

  • Filibuster = stalling tactic (prevent the vote).
  • Cloture = a 3/5 vote will end the debate.

Cory Booker (D-NJ)

Set the new one-person filibuster record in April 2025.

25 hours, 4 minutes.

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Floor Vote

  • As in the House,

a simple majority is needed to pass a bill.

  • 51/100.
  • The President of the Senate breaks tie votes.

He’s broken 7 more than Joe Biden (0) did.

But 26 less than the all-time record holder for VPs, Kamala Harris (33).

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STUDY HALL TIME!!!