General Discussion

uppityperson

(115,681 posts) Sun Jan 6, 2019, 02:16 PM Jan 2019

Seeking info about Senate voting, help please?

How can McConnell not allow a vote? I don't understand this and searching the internet is getting more more confused. Does the Senate majority leader dictate what can be voted on? This seems really off.

Any simple explanation or would be appreciated, I slept through civics class long long ago and am suddenly realizing what I don't know. Thank you.

12 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Seeking info about Senate voting, help please? (Original Post) uppityperson Jan 2019 OP

Yes, the Senate Majority Leader has absolute control OliverQ Jan 2019 #1

thank you. There nothing like if 2/3 senators say vote, they can over rule them? uppityperson Jan 2019 #2

Well, apparently there is an old Senate rule that would allow OliverQ Jan 2019 #12

Figures the Rethugs cheat and allow one person to hold up progress... clementine613 Jan 2019 #7

He decides what bills come to the floor. demmiblue Jan 2019 #3

Thank you very much, off to read. There was too much info in my search, too much to wade through uppityperson Jan 2019 #4

Found more: demmiblue Jan 2019 #8

It would seem that saying he can refuse a vote on a bill.... KY_EnviroGuy Jan 2019 #11

Thanks for posting. I've always desired more information on these roles. I know that they... SWBTATTReg Jan 2019 #5

Interesting. It doesn't say that another senator cannot bring a bill for a vote, just that they deve uppityperson Jan 2019 #6

Whoops, just posted a response to you above before reading this! demmiblue Jan 2019 #9

The Senate has a whole pile of Rules BumRushDaShow Jan 2019 #10

OliverQ

(3,363 posts)

1. Yes, the Senate Majority Leader has absolute control

Reply to uppityperson (Original post)

Sun Jan 6, 2019, 02:21 PM

Jan 2019

over what's brought to the floor for a vote.

uppityperson

(115,681 posts)

2. thank you. There nothing like if 2/3 senators say vote, they can over rule them?

Reply to OliverQ (Reply #1)

Sun Jan 6, 2019, 02:23 PM

Jan 2019

I've heard this rule, don't understand why though, or if there is any way to get around it. Seems dictatorial.

OliverQ

(3,363 posts)

12. Well, apparently there is an old Senate rule that would allow

Reply to uppityperson (Reply #2)

Sun Jan 6, 2019, 04:26 PM

Jan 2019

the majority party in the Senate to overrule the Leader, but as you can imagine it's basically never ever used because the majority never goes against the Leader.

clementine613

(561 posts)

7. Figures the Rethugs cheat and allow one person to hold up progress...

Reply to OliverQ (Reply #1)

Sun Jan 6, 2019, 02:43 PM

Jan 2019

One person should not be allowed to hold up the Senate. We need to take back the Senate and return the rule of law to the people.

demmiblue

(36,915 posts)

3. He decides what bills come to the floor.

Reply to uppityperson (Original post)

Sun Jan 6, 2019, 02:24 PM

Jan 2019

Majority Leader. The primary functions of a majority leader usually relate to floor duties. The majority leader (1) is the lead speaker for the majority party during floor debates, (2) develops the calendar and (3) assists the president or speaker with program development, policy formation and policy decisions.

http://www.ncsl.org/legislators-staff/legislators/legislative-leaders/leadership-positions-roles-and-responsibilities.aspx

Elected at the beginning of each Congress by members of their respective party conferences to represent them on the Senate floor, the majority and minority leaders serve as spokesmen for their parties' positions on the issues. The majority leader has also come to speak for the Senate as an institution. Working with the committee chairs and ranking members, the majority leader schedules business on the floor by calling bills from the calendar and keeps members of his party advised about the daily legislative program. In consultation with the minority leader, the majority leader fashions unanimous consent agreements by which the Senate limits the amount of time for debate and divides that time between the parties. When time limits cannot be agreed on, the majority leader might file for cloture to shut off debate. Occupying the front desks on the center aisle, the two leaders coordinate party strategy and try to keep their parties united on roll-call votes.

https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/Majority_Minority_Leaders.htm

uppityperson

(115,681 posts)

4. Thank you very much, off to read. There was too much info in my search, too much to wade through

Reply to demmiblue (Reply #3)

Sun Jan 6, 2019, 02:27 PM

Jan 2019

demmiblue

(36,915 posts)

8. Found more:

Reply to uppityperson (Reply #4)

Sun Jan 6, 2019, 02:44 PM

Jan 2019

Scheduling Legislative Business

Senate business includes legislative business (bills and resolutions) and executive business (nominations and treaties). (The Senate also sits as a court to try impeachments, for which a special, separate set of rules applies.) When introduced or received from the House or the president, legislative or executive business is normally referred to the committee with appropriate jurisdiction. Business is placed on the legislative or executive calendar, and becomes available for floor consideration, if the committee reports it.

The Senate accords its majority leader prime responsibility for scheduling. He may carry out this responsibility by moving that the Senate proceed to consider a particular matter.By precedent, he and the minority leader are recognized preferentially, and by custom only he (or his designee) makes motions or requests affecting when the Senate will meet and what it will consider.

For executive business, this motion to proceed may be offered in a nondebatable form, but for legislative business it usually is debatable. Whenever possible, therefore, the majority leader instead calls up bills and resolutions by unanimous consent. If senators object to unanimous consent to take up a measure, they are implicitly threatening to filibuster a motion to consider it. They may do so because they oppose that measure, or in the hope of influencing action on some other matter.

https://www.senate.gov/legislative/common/briefing/Senate_legislative_process.htm#3

So, it seems that there is no formal rule regarding who determines what comes to the floor for a vote. I guess the pressure to follow leadership prevents mutiny from happening. I wonder if it has ever happened before and what it would look like. Perhaps someone will fill us in... I am curious!

KY_EnviroGuy

(14,500 posts)

11. It would seem that saying he can refuse a vote on a bill....

Reply to demmiblue (Reply #8)

Sun Jan 6, 2019, 03:06 PM

Jan 2019

is the equivalent to saying he/she has veto power of all legislation. Does not sound right to me.

I can see the leaders controlling the order and flow of legislation and perhaps a degree of timing, but absolute refusal of a bill sounds very anti-democratic, if not a violation of the oath of office (...."and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter" ).

........

SWBTATTReg

(22,205 posts)

5. Thanks for posting. I've always desired more information on these roles. I know that they...

Reply to demmiblue (Reply #3)

Sun Jan 6, 2019, 02:28 PM

Jan 2019

have a role in shepherding bills through their respective houses of government, but didn't know the ins/outs as this post has. Thanks again!

uppityperson

(115,681 posts)

6. Interesting. It doesn't say that another senator cannot bring a bill for a vote, just that they deve

Reply to demmiblue (Reply #3)

Sun Jan 6, 2019, 02:35 PM

Jan 2019

the calendar, keep things moving. I'm not meaning to argue, please don't take this to mean that. It seems it's how its done, vs written into law. I don't know, need to read more, but thank you again.

From your first link, sadly amusing, ironic?

Although party floor leadership posts carry great responsibility, they provide few specific powers. Instead, floor leaders have largely had to depend on their individual skill, intelligence, and personality. Majority leaders seek to balance the needs of senators of both parties to express their views fully on a bill with the pressures to move the bill as quickly as possible toward enactment. These conflicting demands have required majority leaders to develop skills in compromise, accommodation, and diplomacy. Lyndon Johnson, who held the post in the 1950s, once said that the greatest power of the majority leader was "the power of persuasion."

The majority leader usually works closely with the minority leader so that, as Senator Bob Dole explained, "we never surprise each other on the floor." The party leaders meet frequently with the president and with the leaders of the House of Representatives. The majority leader also greets foreign dignitaries visiting the Capitol.