United States Senate

===Daily sessions===
The Senate uses [[Standing Rules of the United States Senate|Standing Rules]] for operation. Like the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]], the Senate meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. At one end of the chamber of the Senate is a [[dais]] from which the [[Presiding Officer of the United States Senate|presiding officer]] presides. The lower tier of the dais is used by clerks and other officials. Sessions of the Senate are opened with a special prayer or invocation and typically convene on weekdays. Sessions of the Senate are generally open to the public and are broadcast live on television, usually by [[C-SPAN 2]].

Senate procedure depends not only on the rules, but also on a variety of customs and traditions. The Senate commonly waives some of its stricter rules by [[unanimous consent]]. Unanimous consent agreements are typically negotiated beforehand by party leaders. A senator may block such an agreement, but in practice, objections are rare. The presiding officer enforces the rules of the Senate, and may warn members who deviate from them. The presiding officer sometimes uses the [[gavel]] of the Senate to maintain order.

{{Anchor|holds}}A "[[Senate hold|hold]]" is placed when the leader's office is notified that a senator intends to object to a request for unanimous consent from the Senate to consider or pass a measure. A hold may be placed for any reason and can be lifted by the senator who placed it at any time. A senator may place a hold simply to review a bill, to negotiate changes to the bill, or to kill the bill. A bill can be held for as long as the senator who objects to the bill wishes to block its consideration.

Holds can be overcome, but require time-consuming procedures such as filing cloture. Holds are considered private communications between a senator and the leader, and are sometimes referred to as "secret holds". A senator may disclose the placement of a hold.

The Constitution provides that a majority of the Senate constitutes a [[quorum]] to do business. Under the rules and customs of the Senate, a quorum is always assumed as present unless a [[quorum call]] explicitly demonstrates otherwise. A senator may request a quorum call by "suggesting the absence of a quorum"; a clerk then calls the roll and notes which members are present. In practice, senators rarely request quorum calls to establish the quorum as present; instead, quorum calls are generally used to temporarily delay proceedings. Usually, such delays are used while waiting for a senator to reach the floor to speak or to give leaders time to negotiate. Once the need for a delay has ended, a senator may request unanimous consent to rescind the quorum call.

Journalist [[George Packer]] has argued that the Senate's arcane rules have rendered it obsolete and ineffective.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Packer |first=George |date=January 7, 2009 |title=Filibusters and arcane obstructions in the Senate |url=https://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/08/09/100809fa_fact_packer?currentPage=all#ixzz0vY0UxHu9 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |magazine=The New Yorker |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140701055201/http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/08/09/100809fa_fact_packer?currentPage=all#ixzz0vY0UxHu9 |archive-date=July 1, 2014 |access-date=October 4, 2010}}</ref>

====Debate====
Debate, like most other matters governing the internal functioning of the Senate, is governed by internal rules adopted by the Senate. During a debate, senators may only speak if called upon by the presiding officer, but the presiding officer is required to recognize the first senator who rises to speak. Thus, the presiding officer has little control over the course of the debate. Customarily, the majority leader and minority leader are accorded priority during debates even if another senator rises first. All speeches must be addressed to the presiding officer, who is addressed as "Mr. President" or "Madam President", and not to another member; other Members must be referred to in the third person. In most cases, senators do not refer to each other by name, but by state or position, using forms such as "the senior senator from Virginia", "the gentleman from California", or "my distinguished friend the chairman of the Judiciary Committee". Senators address the Senate standing next to their desks.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=juX5w6oLgcwC&q=%22address+the+chair Martin B. Gold, ''Senate Procedure and Practice'', p.39] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323114641/https://books.google.com/books?id=juX5w6oLgcwC&dq=%22senators+address+each+other%22&q=%22address+the+chair#v=snippet&q=%22address%20the%20chair&f=false |date=March 23, 2019}}: ''Every member, when he speaks, shall address the chair, standing in his place, and when he has finished, shall sit down.''</ref>

Apart from rules governing civility, there are few restrictions on the content of speeches; there is no requirement that speeches pertain to the matter before the Senate.

The [[Standing Rules of the United States Senate|rules of the Senate]] provide that no senator may make more than two speeches on a motion or bill on the same legislative day. A legislative day begins when the Senate convenes and ends with adjournment; hence, it does not necessarily coincide with the [[calendar day]]. The length of these speeches is not limited by the rules; thus, in most cases, senators may speak for as long as they please. Often, the Senate adopts unanimous consent agreements imposing time limits. In other cases (for example, for the budget process), limits are imposed by statute. However, the right to unlimited debate is generally preserved.

Within the United States, the Senate is sometimes referred to as "world's greatest deliberative body".<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=July 5, 1993 |title=The World's Greatest Deliberative Body |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,978823,00.html |url-status=dead |magazine=Time |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090811051312/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,978823,00.html |archive-date=August 11, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=World's greatest deliberative body watch |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2009/11/worlds_greatest_deliberative_b.html |url-status=live |access-date=August 3, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204235408/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2009/11/worlds_greatest_deliberative_b.html |archive-date=February 4, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Senate reform: Lazing on a Senate afternoon |newspaper=The Economist |url=https://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2010/08/senate_reform |url-status=live |access-date=October 4, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101014090430/http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2010/08/senate_reform |archive-date=October 14, 2010}}</ref>

====Filibuster and cloture====
{{Main|Filibuster in the United States Senate|Reconciliation (United States Congress)}}
{{see also|Clay pigeon floor procedure}}
The [[filibuster]] is a tactic used to defeat bills and motions by prolonging debate indefinitely. A filibuster may entail long speeches, dilatory motions, and an extensive series of proposed amendments. The Senate may end a filibuster by invoking [[cloture]]. In most cases, cloture requires the support of three-fifths of the Senate; however, if the matter before the Senate involves changing the rules of the body&nbsp;– this includes amending provisions regarding the filibuster&nbsp;– a two-thirds majority is required. In practice, the threat of filibuster is more important than its use; almost any motion that does not have the support of three-fifths of the Senate effectively fails. This means that 41 senators can make a filibuster happen. Historically, cloture has rarely been invoked because bipartisan support is usually necessary to obtain the required [[supermajority]], so a bill that already has bipartisan support is rarely subject to threats of filibuster. However, motions for cloture have increased significantly in recent years.

If the Senate invokes cloture, the debate does not necessarily end immediately; instead, it is limited to up to 30 additional hours unless increased by another three-fifths vote. The longest filibuster speech in the Senate's history was delivered by [[Strom Thurmond]] (D-SC), who spoke for over 24 hours in an unsuccessful attempt to block the passage of the [[Civil Rights Act of 1957]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Quinton|first=Jeff|url=http://www.jquinton.com/archives/000171.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060614024620/http://www.jquinton.com/archives/000171.html|title=Thurmond's Filibuster|website=Backcountry Conservative|date=July 27, 2003|archive-date=June 14, 2006|access-date=June 19, 2006|url-status=usurped}}</ref>

Under certain circumstances, the [[Congressional Budget Act of 1974]] provides for a process called "[[reconciliation (United States Congress)|reconciliation]]" by which Congress can pass bills related to the budget without those bills being subject to a filibuster. This is accomplished by limiting all Senate floor debate to 20 hours.<ref>Reconciliation, {{USCSub|2|641|e}} (Procedure in the Senate).</ref>

The [[Senate filibuster]] is frequently debated as the Constitution specifies a simple majority threshold to pass legislation, and some critics feel the de facto three-fifths threshold for general legislation prevents beneficial laws from passing. Detractors also note that the filibuster, elevated in importance in 1917, was prominently and persistently wielded in defense of white supremacy.<ref name=":0" />{{dubious|date=September 2023}} The [[nuclear option]] was exercised by both major parties in the 2010s to weaken the filibuster for confirmations. Supporters generally consider the filibuster to be an important protection for the minority views and a check against the unfettered single-party rule when the same party holds the Presidency and a majority in both the House and Senate.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}}

====Voting====
When the debate concludes, the motion in question is put to a vote. The Senate often votes by voice vote. The presiding officer puts the question, and members respond either "Yea/Aye" (in favor of the motion) or "Nay" (against the motion). The presiding officer then announces the result of the voice vote. A senator, however, may challenge the presiding officer's assessment and request a recorded vote. The request may be granted only if it is seconded by one-fifth of the senators present. In practice, however, senators second requests for recorded votes as a matter of courtesy. When a recorded vote is held, the clerk calls the roll of the Senate in alphabetical order; senators respond when their name is called. Senators who were not in the chamber when their name was called may still cast a vote so long as the voting remains open. The vote is closed at the discretion of the presiding officer, but must remain open for a minimum of 15 minutes. A majority of those voting determines whether the motion carries.<ref name = Majority/> If the vote is tied, the vice president, if present, is entitled to cast a [[United States Vice Presidents' tie-breaking votes|tie-breaking vote]]. If the vice president is not present, the motion fails.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Yea or Nay? Voting in the Senate |url=https://www.senate.gov/general/Features/votes.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511073831/http://www.senate.gov/general/Features/votes.htm |archive-date=May 11, 2011 |access-date=April 11, 2011 |publisher=Senate.gov}}</ref>

Filibustered bills require a three-fifths majority to overcome the cloture vote (which usually means 60 votes). To pass a bill, a simple majority (usually 51 votes) is needed. Some news media have confused the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster with the 51 votes needed to approve a bill with for example ''[[USA Today]]'' erroneously stating "The vote was 58–39 in favor of the provision establishing concealed carry permit reciprocity in the 48 states that have concealed weapons laws. That fell two votes short of the 60 needed to approve the measure".<ref name="Majority">{{Cite web |date=July 31, 2009 |title=How majority rule works in the U.S. Senate |url=http://www.niemanwatchdog.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=background.view&backgroundid=381 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210107141300/http://www.niemanwatchdog.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=background.view&backgroundid=381 |archive-date=January 7, 2021 |access-date=March 4, 2013 |publisher=Nieman Watchdog}}</ref>

====Closed session====
{{Main|Closed sessions of the United States Senate}}
On occasion, the Senate may go into what is called a secret or closed session. During a closed session, the chamber doors are closed, cameras are turned off, and the galleries are completely cleared of anyone not sworn to secrecy, not instructed in the rules of the closed session, or not essential to the session. Closed sessions are rare and usually held only when the Senate is discussing sensitive subject matter such as information critical to national security, private communications from the president, or deliberations during [[Impeachment in the United States|impeachment]] trials. A senator may call for and force a closed session if the motion is seconded by at least one other member, but an agreement usually occurs beforehand.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Amer |first=Mildred |date=March 27, 2008 |title=Secret Sessions of Congress: A Brief Historical Overview |url=https://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/RS20145.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090806041728/https://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/RS20145.pdf |archive-date=August 6, 2009}}</ref> If the Senate does not approve the release of a secret transcript, the transcript is stored in the Office of Senate Security and ultimately sent to the national archives. The proceedings remain sealed indefinitely until the Senate votes to remove the injunction of secrecy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Amer |first=Mildred |date=March 27, 2008 |title=Secret Sessions of the House and Senate |url=https://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/98-718.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090806041723/https://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/98-718.pdf |archive-date=August 6, 2009}}</ref> In 1973, the House adopted a rule that all committee sessions should be open unless a majority on the committee voted for a closed session.