Number: RS21255
Title: Motions to Proceed to Consider in the Senate: Who Offers Them?
Authors: Richard S. Beth, Government and Finance Division 
Abstract: In recent practice, the Senate generally concedes to its majority leader the prerogative of calling up measures for floor consideration. Most measures are called up by unanimous consent, but when this consent cannot be obtained, a motion to proceed to consider is used. Sometimes a Senator other than the majority leader offers this motion, but usually only in coordination with him and as his designee. Of 231 motions to proceed identified as offered in the Senate from 1979 through 2000, only seven were offered other than by the majority leader or at his direction. None of these seven successfully resulted in consideration of the measure in question.
Pages: 6
Date: Updated September 15, 2003