{ "id": "RL30945", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "RL30945", "active": true, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 345933, "date": "2008-04-16", "retrieved": "2016-04-06T22:36:10.067666", "title": "House and Senate Rules of Procedure: A Comparison", "summary": "More differences than similarities emerge when comparing selected House and Senate rules of procedure for referring legislation to committees, and for scheduling, raising and considering measures on the floor.\nWhile the House uses four calendars (Union, House, Private, Discharge), the Senate only employs two calendars (Legislative and Executive). The House\u2019s system of special days for considering certain types of measures (e.g., \u201cDistrict Days\u201d) has no equivalent in the Senate.\nIn making scheduling decisions, the Speaker typically consults only with majority party leaders and selected Representatives whereas the Senate Majority Leader confers broadly with minority party leaders and interested Senators. The Speaker\u2019s dual position as leader of the majority party and the House\u2019s presiding officer gives him more authority to govern floor proceedings than the Senate\u2019s presiding officer. While debate time is always restricted in the House, individual Senators generally have the right to unlimited debate.\nMost noncontroversial measures are approved by \u201csuspension of the rules\u201d in the House, and by unanimous consent in the Senate. Floor consideration of major bills is generally governed by \u201cspecial rules\u201d in the House, and by \u201ccomplex unanimous consent agreements\u201d in the Senate. The House typically meets in the Committee of the Whole to consider major legislation; no such committee exists in the Senate. The House considers and amends legislation in a more structured manner (e.g., by section or title) than the Senate. In addition, while germaneness of amendments is required in the House, it is mandated only in four instances in the Senate. Rollcall votes can be requested at almost any time in the Senate, but only after completing a voice or division vote in the House.\nBecause the Senate often recesses instead of adjourning at the end of the day, Senate legislative days can continue for several calendar days. By contrast, the House routinely adjourns at the end of each legislative day.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL30945", "sha1": "17f02252a417dae2365be21ff1d745f5e971194a", "filename": "files/20080416_RL30945_17f02252a417dae2365be21ff1d745f5e971194a.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL30945", "sha1": "7d95de8d12f21a2e31e7f0940c40e6a39090214e", "filename": "files/20080416_RL30945_7d95de8d12f21a2e31e7f0940c40e6a39090214e.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "CongOpsList", "id": 4139, "name": "House Floor Proceedings" }, { "source": "CongOpsList", "id": 4140, "name": "Senate Floor Proceedings" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metacrs6155/", "id": "RL30945_2005Feb10", "date": "2005-02-10", "retrieved": "2005-06-10T23:33:52", "title": "House and Senate Rules of Procedure: A Comparison", "summary": "This report compares selected House and Senate rules of procedure for various stages of the legislative process: referral of legislation to committees; scheduling and calling up measures; and floor consideration.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20050210_RL30945_d565921f0f6ec2aecb2a6b690656e8cb76c64ad5.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20050210_RL30945_d565921f0f6ec2aecb2a6b690656e8cb76c64ad5.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Congress", "name": "Congress" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Senate rules and procedure", "name": "Senate rules and procedure" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "House rules and procedure", "name": "House rules and procedure" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc824650/", "id": "RL30945_2003May12", "date": "2003-05-12", "retrieved": "2016-04-04T14:48:17", "title": "House and Senate Rules of Procedure: A Comparison", "summary": "This report compares selected House and Senate rules of procedure for various stages of the legislative process: referral of legislation to committees; scheduling and calling up measures; and floor consideration.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20030512_RL30945_4f19082a4eb2dcc24ce75cdb4e24c00dc49b75ea.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20030512_RL30945_4f19082a4eb2dcc24ce75cdb4e24c00dc49b75ea.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Congress", "name": "Congress" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Senate rules and procedure", "name": "Senate rules and procedure" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "House rules and procedure", "name": "House rules and procedure" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metacrs1509/", "id": "RL30945_2001Apr19", "date": "2001-04-19", "retrieved": "2005-06-10T23:33:23", "title": "House and Senate Rules of Procedure: A Comparison", "summary": "This report compares selected House and Senate rules of procedure for various stages of the legislative process: referral of legislation to committees; scheduling and calling up measures; and floor consideration.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20010419_RL30945_bddeff7002e7f4c6ef3abc9ae5f41a0a82390228.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20010419_RL30945_bddeff7002e7f4c6ef3abc9ae5f41a0a82390228.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Congress", "name": "Congress" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Senate rules and procedure", "name": "Senate rules and procedure" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "House rules and procedure", "name": "House rules and procedure" } ] } ], "topics": [] }