Routes to the Senate Floor: Rule XIV and Unanimous Consent

^Pr^ep^ar^{ed f}^o^r^M^e^m^b^ers^an^d^Com^mⁱ^t^t^ees^of^C^ong^r^e^ss

Most bills and joint resolutions introduced in the Senate, and many House-numbered bills and
joint resolutions received by the Senate after House passage, are referred to committee. Senate
Rule XIV and unanimous consent, however, allow the Senate to bypass a measure’s referral to
committee. This report examines the framework of these alternatives. (Concurrent and simple
resolutions are not covered by this report.) This report will not be updated unless Senate
procedures change.

hen a Senator introduces a bill or joint resolution, the measure is often referred to
committee, pursuant to provisions of Senate Rules XIV, XVII, and XXV. When the
House informs the Senate that it has passed a bill or joint resolution that was ¹W

introduced in that chamber, the measure is also often similarly referred to a Senate committee.
Senate Rule XIV, para. 2 requires that bills and resolutions have three readings before passage, ²
and that they be read twice before being referred to committee. Although a Senator may demand
that the readings occur on three different legislative days under paragraph 2, bills and joint
resolutions may be read twice on the same day “for reference” (referral) if there is no objection
(Rule XIV, para. 3). Most bills and resolutions are read twice (understood in practice to occur by
unanimous consent) and referred to committee on the same day that they are introduced by a ³
Senator or received from the House.
Senate Rule XVII, para. 1 states that a measure should be referred to the committee “which has
jurisdiction over the subject matter which predominates....” Rule XXV contains the jurisdictions
of the Senate’s standing committees. There also exist agreements between committees that might
govern the referral of certain bills and joint resolutions. Under Rule XVII, para. 1, the presiding
officer formally refers bills and joint resolutions; practically, the parliamentarian refers measures ⁴
in behalf of the presiding officer. The introduction and referral of bills and joint resolutions, and
the referral of House-passed bills and joint resolutions, occurs as “morning business,” pursuant to ⁵
Senate Rule VII, para. 1.
The Senate may, however, use provisions of Senate Rule XIV or unanimous consent to
completely or partially bypass potential referral of a bill or joint resolution to a Senate committee.
The purpose of doing so could be to have a measure placed directly on the Senate’s Calendar of
Business, which under General Orders lists measures eligible for floor consideration, or to
immediately consider a measure.

¹^Se^na^te^r^u^le^s^c^o^ntaⁱⁿ^pr^oc^e^dur^e^s^f^o^r^the^pr^oc^e^s^sⁱ^ng^of^c^onc^ur^r^e^{nt a}ⁿ^{d s}ⁱ^m^p^le^r^e^s^o^luti^ons^{, w}^h^ic^{h a}^r^eⁿ^o^{t c}^o^v^e^r^e^{d in}^th^is
^rep^o^r^t^.^S^{ee esp}^eci^al^l^y^S^eⁿ^a^t^e^Ru^l^e^X^I^V^,^p^a^ra.^6.
²^T^h^{e “t}^hⁱ^rd^readⁱⁿ^{g” o}^ccu^{rs af}^t^e^{r S}^eⁿ^a^t^e^coⁿ^sⁱ^d^eratⁱ^oⁿ^o^f^{a m}^e^asu^r^{e an}^d^b^e^f^o^{re t}^h^{e vo}^t^e^oⁿ^fⁱⁿ^a^l^p^a^ssage.^S^{ee U.}^S^.
^C^ong^r^e^s^s^,^Se^na^te^,^Ri^ddic^k^’^s^Se^nat^e^Pr^oc^e^dur^e^,^S.D^o^c^.¹^01-²⁸^{, 1}⁰¹^st^C^ong^.,²^nd^s^e^s^s^.⁽^W^a^s^hing^{ton: G}^P^O^,¹⁹⁹²⁾^,^pp.
¹²⁹^0-¹²^{91 (}^h^e^r^e^a^f^te^r^Riddic^k^’^s^S^e^nate^Pr^oc^e^d^ur^e^).
³^{For e}^x^a^m^ple^,^{on Fe}^b^.¹⁴^,²⁰⁰⁷^{, S}^e^na^te^{bills S}^.⁵⁷⁹^{- S.}⁶^{01 w}^e^reⁱⁿ^trod^uc^e^d^{. T}^h^e^C^o^ngr^e^s^sⁱ^on^{al Re}^c^o^r^d^en^t^r^y^st^at^ed^:
^“^T^he^f^o^llowⁱ^ng^bills^aⁿ^{d j}^o^int^re^s^o^luti^ons^w^e^re^introduc^e^d^{, re}^a^d^t^h^e^fⁱ^rs^{t a}^{nd s}^e^c^ond^tim^e^s^b^y^una^nim^ous^c^o^ns^eⁿ^{t, a}^nd
^re^fe^rre^{d a}^s^indic^a^t^e^d^.”^“^I^ntr^o^d^u^c^tⁱ^on^of^{Bills a}^{nd J}^oⁱⁿ^{t Re}^solu^tio^ns,^”^C^ongr^e^s^sⁱ^o^nal^Re^c^o^r^d^,^da^ily^e^d^ition^,^v^o^l.¹⁵^3,
^Fe^{b. 1}⁴^,²⁰⁰⁷^{, p}^.^S¹⁹^58.
^On^S^e^p^t^.³⁰^,²⁰⁰⁵^,^t^h^e^S^eⁿ^a^t^e^recei^ved^a^m^e^ss^age^f^r^o^m^t^h^{e Ho}^u^s^{e t}^h^at^t^h^{e H}^o^u^s^{e h}^a^d^p^a^ssed^H.^R.³⁸²⁴^,^“iⁿ^w^hⁱ^c^hⁱ^t
^r^e^que^s^t^s^the^c^o^nc^ur^r^e^nc^e^of^the^S^e^na^te^[^.^]^”^A^Co^ng^ressioⁿ^a^{l Reco}^r^d^eⁿ^try^sta^t^e^d^{: “}^T^he^f^o^llowⁱ^ng^{bill w}^a^{s re}^a^d^the^fⁱ^rst
^an^d^seco^nd^tⁱ^m^{es b}^y^uⁿ^aⁿⁱ^m^o^u^s^coⁿ^s^en^t^,^an^{d ref}^e^rred^{as i}ⁿ^dⁱ^cat^ed^.^”^“M^essag^e^f^r^o^m^t^h^{e Ho}^u^s^{e” an}^d^“M^easu^r^es
^Referred^,^”^C^ongr^e^s^sⁱ^o^nal^Re^c^o^r^d^,^da^ily^e^d^ition^,^v^o^l.¹^51,^Se^pt.³⁰^,²⁰⁰^5,^p.^S1⁰⁷^96.
⁴^Rule^XV^II,^pa^ra^{. 3 a}^l^l^o^w^s^a^m^e^a^s^ure^to^be^re^f^e^rre^{d to m}^o^re^thaⁿ^oⁿ^e^c^o^m^m^itte^e^,^joint^l^y^{or se}^que^ntia^l^l^y^,^b^y^m^o^tion^of
^the^m^a^jorⁱ^t^y^a^{nd m}ⁱ^nor^ity^le^a^d^e^r^s^;^this^pr^oc^e^d^ur^e^ha^sⁿ^o^t^be^eⁿ^us^e^d^.^J^o^int^aⁿ^d^s^e^que^nt^ia^{l r}^e^f^e^r^r^a^ls^{, how}^ev^e^r^{, ha}^v^e^be^eⁿ
^m^a^de^by^una^nim^ous^c^ons^eⁿ^t.
⁵^T^hⁱ^s^ru^l^e^(p^ara.⁶⁾^al^so^al^l^o^w^s^t^h^{e i}ⁿ^t^r^od^u^c^tⁱ^oⁿ^o^f^su^ch^m^easu^r^{es b}^y^d^e^lⁱ^v^er^y^t^o^t^h^{e p}^r^esi^dⁱⁿ^{g o}^f^fⁱ^cer^{’s d}^e^sk,^“iⁿ^t^h^e
^a^b^s^e^nc^e^of^obje^c^tio^n.”^Iⁿ^a^ddi^tioⁿ^,^{in a}^una^nim^ous^c^ons^eⁿ^t^r^e^que^s^t^sⁱ^m^ila^r^{to one}^sⁱⁿ^pr^e^v^ious^C^ong^r^e^s^s^e^s^,^the^Se^na^te^th
^pe^rm^itte^{d, “}^...tha^{t f}^o^{r t}^h^e^d^u^ra^tioⁿ^of^the¹¹⁰^Cong^re^{ss, Se}^na^t^o^rs^m^a^y^be^a^llow^e^{d to bring}^t^o^t^h^e^de^sk^{bills, j}^o^int
^r^e^s^o^luti^ons^{, c}^onc^ur^r^eⁿ^t^r^e^s^o^l^u^tioⁿ^s^{, a}^{nd s}ⁱ^m^p^le^r^e^s^o^lutⁱ^oⁿ^s^,^f^o^{r ref}^e^{rral to}^ap^p^r^o^p^{riate co}^m^m^itte^e^s^.”^Se^na^{tor Ha}^rry^Re^id,
^r^e^m^a^r^k^s^{in the}^Se^na^te^{, “}^U^na^nim^ous^-^C^ons^eⁿ^t^A^g^r^eem^eⁿ^t,”^C^ongr^e^s^sⁱ^ona^{l Re}^c^o^r^d^,^da^ily^e^d^itio^{n, v}^o^l^.¹⁵³^{, Ja}^n.^4,²⁰⁰⁷^,
^{p. S}⁸^.

This report examines the framework and use of Rule XIV and unanimous consent to place bills
and joint resolutions directly on the calendar. In the remainder of this report, “bill” or “bills” will
be used to refer to bill(s) and joint resolution(s).
Senate Rule XIV, para. 4, states: “... and every bill and joint resolution introduced on leave, and
every bill and joint resolution of the House of Representatives which shall have received a first
and second reading without being referred to a committee, shall, if objection be made to further
proceeding thereon, be placed on the Calendar.” (Emphasis added.)
Therefore, through objection, a bill after two readings is prevented from being referred to
committee and is placed directly on the calendar. It is usually the majority leader, or his designee,
acting on his own or at the request of any other Senator, who objects to “further proceeding”—⁶
committee referral—on the measure.
For example, this procedure was used to place directly on the calendar S. 287. On January 12,
2007, while the Senate was debating another measure, the presiding officer recognized the
majority leader for this colloquy:
^{Mr. R}^E^ID^{. I u}ⁿ^d^ers^t^an^{d S}^.^287,ⁱⁿ^t^r^odu^{ced earl}ⁱ^e^{r t}^oday^by^S^eⁿ^a^t^o^r^K^eⁿⁿ^e^dy^an^d^o^t^h^e^r^s^,ⁱ^s^a^t
^th^{e d}^e^sk^{. I}^as^k^f^o^r^its^fⁱ^r^s^{t r}^eadⁱⁿ^g^.
^T^h^{e P}^R^ESI^D^I^{NG OFFI}^CER.^T^h^{e cler}^k^w^{ill r}^e^p^o^r^{t th}^{e b}^{ill b}^y^title.
^(A^{bill (S. 287) to}^proh^{ibit th}^{e u}^s^{e of}^fuⁿ^d^s^f^o^r^an^es^calatioⁿ^of^{United States}^m^ilitar^y^f^o^rces
ⁱⁿ^{Iraq abov}^{e t}^h^{e n}^u^m^b^ers^e^xⁱ^s^tⁱⁿ^g^as^o^f^Jan^u^a^r^y^{9, 2007.)}
^{Mr. R}^E^{ID. I n}^o^w^as^k^f^o^{r its}^s^e^con^d^readin^g^bu^{t obj}^{ect to m}^y^o^wⁿ^requ^es^t.
^T^h^{e P}^R^{ESIDING OF}^FICE^R.^Ob^j^ectioⁿ^is^h^eard^.^T^h^{e b}^ill^wⁱ^{ll receiv}^e^it^s^secoⁿ^d^readⁱⁿ^g^oⁿ⁷
^th^{e n}^e^x^t^le^gⁱ^s^l^ativ^{e d}^a^y^.
In the next edition of the calendar on January 16, this action was recorded in the section Bills and
Joint Resolutions Read the First Time. The measure was held at the desk.
Since objection had been heard to the second reading, the presiding officer recognized Senator
Ken Salazar, the majority leader’s designee, the next legislative day, January 16, during the
Senate’s conduct of morning business:
^{Mr. SALAZAR}^.^Mr.^P^r^es^iden^{t, I u}ⁿ^d^ers^t^an^{d S. 287}^is^{at th}^{e des}^k^an^{d du}^{e f}^o^{r a s}^econ^d
^readin^g^.
^T^h^{e P}^R^ESI^D^I^{NG OFFI}^CER.^T^h^{e Sen}^a^to^r^{is co}^r^r^ect.^T^h^{e cler}^k^w^{ill state t}^h^{e b}^{ill b}^y^ti^tle.

⁶^S^{ee al}^so^Rⁱ^ddⁱ^{ck’s S}^e^na^t^e^P^r^o^cedu^r^e,^p^p^.²²⁵^-²^26,²^40-²⁴^8.
⁷^Se^na^tor^H^a^r^r^y^R^e^{id, r}^e^m^a^r^k^s^{in the}^Se^na^te^{, “}^M^e^a^s^ur^e^R^e^a^d^t^h^e^Fir^s^{t T}ⁱ^m^e^—^S^{. 287,”}^C^o^ng^ressioⁿ^a^l^Reco^rd^,^da^ily
^e^d^itio^{n, v}^o^l^.¹⁵³^,^Ja^n.¹²^{, 2}⁰⁰⁷^,^p.^S5^03.

^(T^h^e^legⁱ^s^l^ati^v^{e clerk}^{read as}^f^o^llo^w^s^:^A^bill^{(S. 287) to pr}^oh^{ibit th}^e^u^s^{e of}^fuⁿ^d^s^f^o^{r an}
^es^calation^o^f^Uⁿ^ited^States^mⁱ^l^itar^y^f^o^rcesⁱⁿ^{Iraq abov}^{e th}^e^num^bers^exⁱ^s^tiⁿ^g^as^o^f^J^a^nu^ar^y
^{9, 20}^07.)
^Mr^{. SALAZAR. Mr}^{. P}^r^esid^en^{t, I}^o^b^j^e^{ct to}^an^y^f^u^r^t^h^e^r^p^r^o^cee^dⁱⁿ^g^wⁱ^t^h^r^e^sp^{ect to}^th^{e b}^{ill [}ⁱⁿ
^{order t}^o^{place it on}^th^{e calen}^{dar u}ⁿ^d^{er th}^{e prov}^is^ioⁿ^s^of^r^u^le^XIV].
^T^h^{e P}^R^{ESIDING OFFICER.}^Ob^j^ectioⁿ^{is h}^eard^.^T^h^{e b}^{ill w}ⁱ^{ll b}^e^p^l^aced^oⁿ^th^{e calen}^d^a^r.⁸
S. 287 had received its second reading, but there was objection to further proceeding on it. The
presiding officer, under Rule XIV, ordered that the bill be placed on the Senate Calendar. In the
calendar beginning January 17, S. 287 appeared in the section General Orders, with other
measures available for floor consideration.
This same procedure is followed to have House-passed bills placed directly on the Senate ⁹
Calendar.
Broadly, the two purposes of preventing referral of a bill to a committee are: (1) to facilitate the
full Senate’s opportunity to consider the measure; or (2) to bypass a committee’s potential ¹⁰
inaction or, to the sponsor, potential hostile action. While placing a bill directly on the calendar
does not guarantee that the full Senate will ever consider it, the measure is available for floor
consideration and certain procedural steps, like committee reporting, and procedural
requirements, like the two-day availability of a committee report, may be obviated.
In the 109^th Congress, at least 119 bills were placed directly on the calendar using the Rule XIV ¹¹
procedure. For example, S. 397, the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, was an
important legislative initiative. A reason that it might have been placed directly on the calendar ^th
was that the full Senate already considered a related bill in the 108 Congress. In September
2005, 11 Senate bills dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina were placed directly on the
calendar, thereby allowing the majority leader to expeditiously call them up for consideration by
the Senate.
House-passed bills might also be placed directly on the Calender using the Rule XIV procedure
when a Senate measure is already on the calendar, an amendment to the House measure is already
in discussion among interested Senators, support for the House-passed measure is stronger in the
full Senate than in the committee to which it would be referred, or for another reason. House-^th
passed measures placed on the calendar in this way in the 109 Congress included H.R. 8, Death
Tax Repeal Permanency Act; H.R. 810, Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act; and H.R. 2745,
United Nations Reform Act.

⁸^S^eⁿ^a^t^o^{r Ken S}^a^l^azar,^rem^a^r^k^{s i}ⁿ^t^h^{e S}^eⁿ^a^t^e^,^“M^easu^r^e^P^l^aced^oⁿ^t^h^{e Cal}^eⁿ^d^a^r—S^.²⁸⁷^,^”^C^o^ng^ressioⁿ^a^{l Reco}^rd,^da^ily
^e^d^itio^{n, v}^o^l^.¹⁵³^,^Ja^n.¹⁶^{, 2}⁰⁰⁷^,^p.^S6^28.
⁹^S^ee,^f^o^{r exa}^m^p^l^e,^t^h^{e l}^e^gi^sl^atⁱ^v^e^hⁱ^st^o^r^y^o^f^H.^R.⁶⁽¹¹⁰^th^C^o^ng^.)^{, C}^L^E^A^N^Ene^r^gy^A^c^{t of}²⁰⁰^7.
¹⁰^On^o^ccasioⁿ^,^{a Sen}^a^t^o^{r i}ⁿ^tro^d^u^c^e^s^{a b}^{ill, w}^h^ich^{is ref}^e^rred^to^co^mm^{ittee, an}^d^{later in}^tro^d^u^{ces an}ⁱ^d^eⁿ^{tical o}^r^sim^ilar
^measu^r^{e an}^d^p^l^{aces it d}ⁱ^rectly^oⁿ^th^{e calen}^d^a^{r u}ⁿ^d^e^{r R}^u^le^X^I^V^.^T^h^e^Sen^a^to^{r m}ⁱ^g^h^{t d}^o^t^h^{is to}^b^y^p^a^{ss a}^co^mm^ittee’s
^hostili^ty^{to the}^fⁱ^{rst m}^e^a^s^ure^.^A^lte^rna^t^e^l^y^,^a^Se^na^{tor c}^aⁿ^se^e^k^{to of}^f^e^{r a}^m^e^a^s^ure^a^s^aⁿ^a^m^e^ndm^eⁿ^{t to a}^not^he^{r m}^e^a^s^ure^.
^Se^e^C^R^S^R^e^por^t⁹⁸^-⁷^07,^Seⁿ^a^te^Am^e^ndm^eⁿ^{t Pr}^oc^e^s^s^:^G^e^ne^r^a^{l C}^o^nditi^ons^a^{nd Pr}ⁱⁿ^cⁱ^ple^s^,^by^W^a^lte^{r J}^.^O^l^e^s^z^e^k^.
¹¹^T^h^e^s^e^{119 m}^e^a^s^ur^e^s^w^e^r^e^ideⁿ^tif^ie^{d by}^a^s^e^a^r^c^h^of^the^C^ongr^e^s^sⁱ^o^{nal Re}^c^o^r^d^oⁿ^t^h^{e L}^e^gⁱ^slativ^{e In}^fo^rm^atioⁿ^Sy^ste^m^.
^S^u^ch^{a search}^o^f^t^h^e¹⁰⁸^th^C^ong^r^e^s^s^ideⁿ^tif^ie^{d 1}^{14 m}^e^a^s^ur^e^s^.

The procedure under Rule XIV is also used by the minority party, or a Senator with a viewpoint
different on an issue from that of other Senators, to give added visibility to specific bills and to ^th
avoid potential inaction or hostility in a Senate committee. Democratic Senators in the 109
Congress, for example, used this procedure to put bills such as S. 1062, Fair Minimum Wage Act
of 2005, directly on the calendar.
Bills may also be read the first and second times by unanimous consent and placed on the ^th
calendar. This procedure was used in the 109 Congress for House-passed bills such as H.R. 3,
the highway and transit bill. The Senate’s transportation bill was reported from Senate committee
shortly after the Senate received the House-passed measure.
The majority leader seeks unanimous consent to expeditiously process legislation. The Senate
uses a practice called “clearance” to notify Senators of pending noncontroversial bills to
determine if any Senator would object to passing a specific measure by unanimous consent, with ¹²
little or no debate. The process of passing noncontroversial measures may include bypassing a
Senate committee or truncating committee action, although a committee might well have played a
key role in the development of the noncontroversial measure sought to be passed or in its
clearance.
The Senate may pass some noncontroversial bills the day they are introduced, for example, in the ^th

109 Congress, S. 1752, reauthorizing the United States Grain Standards Act:

^M^r^.^F^R^I^S^T^.^M^r^.^P^r^e^sⁱ^d^eⁿ^t^,^I^a^s^{k u}ⁿ^aⁿⁱ^m^o^u^s^c^o^ns^eⁿ^t^t^h^a^t^t^h^e^S^eⁿ^a^te^proceed^to^th^eⁱ^m^m^e^diate
^con^sⁱ^d^eratⁱ^oⁿ^of^S^.^{1752, i}ⁿ^t^r^odu^{ced earl}ⁱ^e^{r t}^oday^.
^T^h^{e P}^R^ESI^D^I^{NG OFFI}^CER.^T^h^{e cler}^k^w^{ill r}^e^p^o^r^{t th}^{e b}^{ill b}^y^title.
^T^h^{e leg}ⁱ^s^l^ati^v^{e clerk}^{read as}^follo^w^s^:
^A^{bill (S. 1752) to am}^en^{d th}^e^Un^{ited State}^s^Graiⁿ^Stan^dards^A^c^{t to reau}^t^h^{orize th}^at^A^c^t.
^T^h^{ere b}^eⁱⁿ^gⁿ^o^o^b^j^ectioⁿ^,^th^{e Sen}^a^{te p}^r^o^ceed^ed^to^coⁿ^s^id^{er t}^h^{e b}^ill.
^Mr^{. FRI}^S^T^.^Mr^.^P^r^esid^en^{t, I}^a^s^k^uⁿ^aⁿⁱ^m^o^u^{s co}ⁿ^s^eⁿ^{t th}^{at t}^h^e^b^{ill b}^e^r^ead^a^th^ir^d^tim^{e a}ⁿ^d
^p^a^ssed^,^th^e^m^o^tioⁿ^to^r^ecoⁿ^s^id^er^b^e^laid^u^p^oⁿ^th^{e tab}^l^{e, a}ⁿ^d^th^{at a}ⁿ^y^state^m^en^{ts r}^e^latiⁿ^g^to
^th^{e b}^{ill b}^e^p^rⁱⁿ^tedⁱⁿ^th^e^REC^O^RD.
^T^h^{e P}^R^ESI^D^I^{NG OFFI}^CER.^W^ith^o^u^{t o}^b^j^ectioⁿ^,^{it is so}^o^r^d^e^r^e^d^.

¹²^Me^a^s^ur^e^s^a^r^e^us^ua^lly^ta^ke^{n up}^du^rⁱ^ng^the^tim^e^f^o^r^m^o^rⁿ^ing^b^u^sⁱ^ne^s^s⁽ⁱ^{n a}^pe^rⁱ^od^d^u^b^b^e^d^t^h^e^“^w^r^a^p-^{up pe}^rⁱ^od”⁾^,^bu^t
^al^so^d^u^rⁱⁿ^{g t}^h^{e co}^nd^u^c^t^o^f^l^e^gi^sl^atⁱ^v^{e b}^u^sⁱⁿ^ess,^w^h^en^{a un}^anⁱ^m^o^u^s^coⁿ^s^en^t^o^r^d^e^r^t^e^m^p^o^r^ari^l^y^su^sp^en^d^s^,ⁱⁿ^ef^f^e^ct^,^t^h^e
^bus^ine^s^s^un^de^r^c^onsⁱ^d^e^r^a^tion^by^the^Se^na^te^.

^T^h^{e bill (S. 1}⁷⁵²⁾^w^a^s^{read the th}^{ird ti}^m^e^aⁿ^{d pas}^s^e^{d, as}^f^o^ll^o^w^s^:
⁽^T^h^e^tex^t^o^f^th^{e b}^ill^w^a^{s p}^rⁱⁿ^te^dⁱⁿ^th^e^C^ongr^essⁱ^onal^Recor^d^.)¹³
The Senate may also pass some noncontroversial House-passed bills when they are received. For
example, the Senate received a message from the House July 19, 2005, regarding H.R. 3332, and
passed the bill that day:
^{Mr. FR}^IST^.^Mr.^P^r^es^iden^{t, I a}^s^k^uⁿ^aⁿⁱ^m^ous^coⁿ^s^eⁿ^{t t}^h^{e Se}^{nate proceed to}^th^{e i}^m^m^e^diate
^con^sⁱ^d^eratⁱ^oⁿ^of^H^.^R^.^{3332 re}^cei^v^e^{d f}^r^o^m^t^h^{e H}^ous^e.
^T^h^e^P^R^E^S^I^D^I^N^G^O^F^F^I^C^E^R^.^Wⁱ^t^h^o^u^t^o^b^j^e^c^tⁱ^oⁿ^,ⁱ^tⁱ^s^s^o^o^r^d^e^r^e^d^.^T^h^e^cler^k^w^ill^r^e^p^o^r^t^th^e^bⁱ^ll
^b^y^ti^tle.
^T^h^{e leg}ⁱ^s^l^ati^v^{e clerk}^{read as}^follo^w^s^:
^A^{bill (H.R}^{. 3332)}^{to p}^r^ov^{ide a}ⁿ^ex^teⁿ^s^ioⁿ^of^hⁱ^ghw^a^y^,^hⁱ^ghwa^y^s^a^f^e^t^y^,^m^o^{tor carrier s}^a^f^e^ty^,
^t^r^an^sⁱ^t^,^an^{d ot}^h^e^{r prog}^ra^m^s^f^uⁿ^d^{ed ou}^t^o^f^t^h^{e H}ⁱ^ghw^a^y^T^r^u^s^t^F^uⁿ^d^pen^dⁱⁿ^g^eⁿ^act^m^eⁿ^t^{of a}^st
^la^w^r^e^a^u^th^o^r^iziⁿ^g^t^h^{e T}^r^an^sp^o^r^tatioⁿ^Eq^uⁱ^t^y^{Act f}^o^r^th^{e 2}¹^cen^tu^r^y^.
^T^h^{ere b}^eⁱⁿ^gⁿ^o^o^b^j^ectioⁿ^,^th^{e Sen}^a^{te p}^r^o^ceed^ed^to^coⁿ^s^id^{er t}^h^{e b}^ill.
^{Mr. FR}^IST^.^{Mr. P}^r^es^iden^{t, I as}^k^un^ani^m^o^u^s^coⁿ^s^eⁿ^{t t}^h^{e b}ⁱ^{ll b}^e^r^ead^th^{e t}^h^ir^d^ti^m^e^aⁿ^d
^pas^s^e^{d, t}^h^e^m^o^tⁱ^oⁿ^t^o^recoⁿ^sⁱ^d^{er be l}^aⁱ^d^u^{pon t}^h^{e t}^a^bl^{e, a}ⁿ^{d a}ⁿ^y^s^t^at^e^m^eⁿ^t^s^{be pri}ⁿ^t^e^dⁱⁿ^t^h^e
^RE^CO^RD^.
^T^h^{e P}^R^ESI^D^I^{NG OFFI}^CER.^W^ith^o^u^{t o}^b^j^ectioⁿ^,^{it is so}^o^r^d^e^r^e^d^.
^T^h^{e b}^{ill (}^H^{.R. 3}³³²⁾^w^a^{s r}^ead^th^{e th}^ir^d^ti^m^e^aⁿ^d^p^a^ssed^.¹⁴
The Senate might anticipate passage of a measure by the House, and agree by unanimous consent ^th
to Senate passage. For example, the Senate in the 109 Congress anticipated House passage of
H.R. 241, following the Indian Ocean tsunami:
^{Mr. McC}^ONNE^L^L^.^{I as}^k^un^aⁿⁱ^m^{ous con}^s^eⁿ^{t t}^h^at^w^h^en^t^h^{e S}^eⁿ^a^{te receiv}^e^{s f}^r^o^m^t^h^{e House}
^H.R^.^{241, th}^{e Sen}^a^{te procee}^{d t}^o^itsⁱ^m^m^e^{diate c}^ons^ideration^,^th^{at th}^{e bill be}^r^e^a^d^t^h^r^e^e^tⁱ^m^es^,
^p^a^ssed^,^an^d^th^e^m^o^tioⁿ^to^r^ecoⁿ^s^id^er^b^e^laid^oⁿ^th^{e tab}^l^e^wⁱ^t^h^o^u^{t in}^ter^v^enⁱⁿ^g^actioⁿ^o^r
^debat^e^.
^T^h^{e P}^R^ESI^D^I^{NG OFFI}^CER.^W^ith^o^u^{t o}^b^j^ectioⁿ^,^{it is so}^o^r^d^e^r^e^d^.¹⁵

¹³^Se^na^{tor B}^{ill Fr}^{ist, re}^m^a^{rks in the}^Se^na^te^{, “}^A^m^e^nding^t^h^e^Unite^d^St^a^t^e^s^G^r^aⁱ^{n Sta}^nda^rds^A^c^t,”^C^ongr^e^s^sⁱ^{onal Re}^c^o^r^d^,
^da^ily^e^d^{ition, v}^o^l^.¹⁵^{1, Se}^pt.^22,²⁰⁰⁵^{, p}^.^S¹⁰³⁹²^{. A}^bill^or^j^oⁱⁿ^{t r}^e^s^o^luti^on^mⁱ^g^h^{t a}^l^s^o^be^he^l^d^a^t^t^h^e^d^e^s^k^b^y^una^nim^ous
^c^ons^eⁿ^t^pe^ndi^ng^la^te^r^a^c^tion^.
¹⁴^Se^na^{tor B}^{ill Fr}^is^{t, re}^m^a^rks^{in the}^Se^na^te^{, “}^P^rovⁱ^di^ng^Ex^te^ns^io^{n of}^P^r^og^ra^m^s^Funde^{d o}^u^t^of^the^Hⁱ^g^h^w^ay^T^r^us^{t Fun}^d^,”
^C^ongr^e^s^sⁱ^o^nal^Re^c^o^r^d^,^da^ily^e^d^iti^{on, v}^o^l^.¹⁵^{1, J}^u^ly^{19, 2}⁰⁰⁵^,^p.^S8⁴⁹⁹^.
¹⁵^Se^na^tor^Mitc^h^Mc^C^oⁿⁿ^e^{ll, r}^e^m^a^r^k^s^{in the}^Se^na^te^{, “}^U^na^nim^ous^C^o^ns^eⁿ^{t A}^g^r^e^em^eⁿ^t—^H^.^R^.²⁴^1,”^C^o^ngr^e^s^sⁱ^on^al
^R^eco^rd^,^da^ily^e^d^itio^{n, v}^o^l^.¹⁵¹^{, Ja}^{n. 6}^,²⁰⁰⁵^,^p.^S4^1.^Se^e^a^l^so^Rⁱ^ddⁱ^{ck’s S}^eⁿ^a^t^{e P}^r^o^cedu^r^e,^p^p^.²³^0-²^31.

Noncontroversial Senate bills and House-passed measures are often referred to committee. A
committee might later be discharged from a measure’s consideration. For example, S. 1613,
Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act amendments, was introduced September 6, 2005, and
referred to the Agriculture Committee, which seven days later was discharged from its
consideration:
^{Mr. FR}^IST^.^I^as^k^un^anⁱ^m^o^u^s^c^oⁿ^s^{ent th}^{at t}^h^{e C}^o^m^mⁱ^{ttee on}^Ag^ricultu^{re be dis}^c^h^a^r^g^{ed f}^r^om
^f^u^rt^h^e^{r con}^s^ideratioⁿ^of^S^.^{1613 an}^{d th}^{e S}^eⁿ^a^te^{proceed to its}ⁱ^m^m^e^{diate con}^s^ideration^.
^T^h^e^P^R^E^S^I^D^I^N^G^O^F^F^I^C^E^R^.^Wⁱ^t^h^o^u^t^o^b^j^e^c^tⁱ^oⁿ^,ⁱ^tⁱ^s^s^o^o^r^d^e^r^e^d^.^T^h^e^cler^k^w^ill^r^e^p^o^r^t^th^e^bⁱ^ll
^b^y^ti^tle.
^T^h^{e as}^sⁱ^s^t^aⁿ^{t legis}^l^at^iv^{e cler}^k^{read as}^f^o^llo^w^s^:
^A^bi^l^l^(S^{. 1613) t}^o^am^eⁿ^{d t}^h^e^Lⁱ^v^e^st^ock^Maⁿ^d^at^or^y^R^e^portⁱⁿ^g^A^c^t^{of 1999 t}^o^ex^t^eⁿ^d^t^h^e
^ter^mⁱⁿ^atioⁿ^d^a^{te f}^o^r^m^aⁿ^d^ato^r^y^p^r^{ice r}^e^p^o^r^tin^g^.
^T^h^{ere b}^eⁱⁿ^gⁿ^o^o^b^j^ectioⁿ^,^th^{e Sen}^a^{te p}^r^o^ceed^ed^to^coⁿ^s^id^{er t}^h^{e b}^ill.
^Mr^{. FRI}^S^T^.^I^ask^uⁿ^aⁿⁱ^m^o^u^s^c^oⁿ^s^en^{t th}^{at t}^h^{e b}^{ill b}^e^r^ead^a^th^ir^d^tim^{e a}ⁿ^d^p^a^ssed^,^th^e^m^o^tioⁿ
^{to recon}^s^{ider be laid}^u^pon^t^h^e^t^a^{ble, an}^{d any}^s^t^ate^m^eⁿ^ts^r^e^latiⁿ^g^to^t^h^e^m^eas^u^r^{e b}^e^p^rⁱⁿ^tedⁱⁿ
^the^RE^CO^RD^.
^T^h^{e P}^R^ESI^D^I^{NG OFFI}^CER.^W^ith^o^u^{t o}^b^j^ectioⁿ^,^{it is so}^o^r^d^e^r^e^d^.
^T^h^{e bill (S. 1}⁶¹³⁾^w^a^s^{read the th}^{ird ti}^m^e^aⁿ^{d pas}^s^e^{d, as}^f^o^ll^o^w^s^:
⁽^T^h^e^tex^t^o^f^th^{e b}^ill^w^a^{s p}^rⁱⁿ^te^dⁱⁿ^th^e^C^ongr^essⁱ^onal^Recor^d^.)¹⁶
Several House-passed bills naming postal facilities were referred to the Homeland Security and ^th
Governmental Affairs Committee early in the 109 Congress, which the committee ordered
reported. The committee was subsequently discharged from further consideration of the ¹⁷
measures, ending committee action before the bills were reported.
^Mich^{ael L}^.^Koe^m^pel
^Senⁱ^o^r^Sp^{ecialist i}ⁿ^Am^er^icaⁿ^Natioⁿ^a^{l Go}^v^e^rⁿ^m^eⁿ^t
^m^k^oe^m^p^el^@^c^rs^.l^oc.g^ov^{, 7-}⁰¹⁶⁵

¹⁶^Se^na^{tor B}^{ill Fr}^is^{t, re}^m^a^rks^{in the}^Se^na^te^{, “}^A^m^e^nding^Lⁱ^v^e^s^t^oc^k^Manda^tory^Re^porti^ng^A^c^{t of}^1999,”^C^ongr^e^s^sⁱ^o^nal
^R^eco^rd^,^da^ily^e^d^itio^{n, v}^o^l^.¹⁵¹^{, S}^e^{pt. 1}³^,²⁰⁰⁵^{, p}^.^S⁹⁹^95.
¹⁷^Se^e^,^f^o^r^e^x^am^ple^,^the^le^gⁱ^s^l^a^tiv^e^his^t^or^y^of^H^.^R^.¹²^{0 (}¹⁰⁹^th^Co^ng^.),^a^bill^na^mⁱ^ng^a^U.S.^P^o^sta^l^Se^rv^ic^e^fa^c^ilit^y^f^o^r
^f^o^r^m^e^r^R^e^{p. D}^a^{lip Sing}^h^Sa^u^nd.