Standing Rules of the United States Senate, Rule XIV

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Rule XIV of the Standing Rules of the United States Senate, established by the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, governs joint resolutions, resolutions, and preambles of joint resolutions and resolutions in the Senate.

Objection to a bill

The first clause reads as follows:

Paragraph 1. Whenever a bill or joint resolution shall be offered, its introduction shall, if objected to, be postponed for one day.

Readings of bills and joint resolutions

The second clause reads as follows:

Paragraph 2. Every bill and joint resolution shall receive three readings previous to its passage which readings on demand of any Senator shall be on three different legislative days, and the Presiding Officer shall give notice at each reading whether it be the first, second, or third: Provided, That each reading may be by title only, unless the Senate in any case shall otherwise order.

Committing or amending

The third clause reads as follows:

Paragraph 3. No bill or joint resolution shall be committed or amended until it shall have been twice read, after which it may be referred to a committee; bills and joint resolutions introduced on leave, and bills and joint resolutions from the House of Representatives, shall be read once, and may be read twice, if not objected to, on the same day for reference, but shall not be considered on that day nor debated, except for reference, unless by unanimous consent.

Bills and joint resolutions not read

The fourth clause reads as follows:

Paragraph 4. Every bill and joint resolution reported from a committee, not having previously been read, shall be read once, and twice, if not objected to, on the same day, and placed on the Calendar in the order in which the same may be reported; 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.

Supervision under the Senate Secretary

The fifth clause reads as follows:

Paragraph 5. All bills, amendments, and joint resolutions shall be examined under the supervision of the Secretary of the Senate before they go out of the possession of the Senate, and all bills and joint resolutions which shall have passed both Houses shall be examined under the supervision of the Secretary of the Senate, to see that the same are correctly enrolled, and, when signed by the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate, the Secretary of the Senate shall forthwith present the same, when they shall have originated in the Senate, to the President of the United States and report the fact and date of such presentation to the Senate.

Other resolutions

The sixth clause reads as follows:

Paragraph 6. All other resolutions shall lie over one day for consideration, if not referred, unless by unanimous consent the Senate shall otherwise direct. When objection is heard to the immediate consideration of a resolution or motion when it is submitted, it shall be placed on the Calendar under the heading of "Resolutions and Motions over, under the Rule," to be laid before the Senate on the next legislative day when there is no further morning business but before the close of morning business and before the termination of the morning hour.

Ordered third readings

The seventh clause reads as follows:

Paragraph 7. When a bill or joint resolution shall have been ordered to be read a third time, it shall not be in order to propose amendments, unless by unanimous consent, but it shall be in order at any time before the passage of any bill or resolution to move its commitment; and when the bill or resolution shall again be reported from the committee it shall be placed on the Calendar.

Bills and resolutions with Preambles

The eighth clause reads as follows:

Paragraph 8. When a bill or resolution is accompanied by a preamble, the question shall first be put on the bill or resolution and then on the preamble, which may be withdrawn by a mover before an amendment of the same, or ordering of the yeas and nays; or it may be laid on the table without prejudice to the bill or resolution, and shall be a final disposition of such preamble.

Private bills

The ninth clause reads as follows:

Paragraph 9. Whenever a private bill, except a bill for a pension, is under consideration, it shall be in order to move the adoption of a resolution to refer the bill to the Chief Commissioner of the Court of Claims for a report in conformity with section 2509 of title 28, United States Code.

Excluding bills and resolutions

The tenth clause reads as follows:

Paragraph 10. No private bill or resolution (including so-called omnibus claims or pension bills), and no amendment to any bill or resolution, authorizing or directing

(1) the payment of money for property damages, personal injuries, or death, for which a claim may be filed under chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code, or for a pension (other than to carry out a provision of law or treaty stipulation);

(2) the construction of a bridge across a navigable stream; or

(3) the correction of a military or naval record,

shall be received or considered.

References

• United States Senate: U.S. Senate Rule XIV
• Rules of The United States Senate