[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 37 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 37

               To amend the Standing Rules of the Senate.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

             January 26 (legislative day, January 5), 1993

 Mr. Mitchell submitted the following resolution; which was ordered to 
                        lie over, under the rule

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
               To amend the Standing Rules of the Senate.

    Resolved, That rule VIII of the Standing Rules of the Senate is 
amended by striking the ``.'' at the end of paragraph 2 and inserting 
the following: ``; except those motions to proceed made by the Majority 
Leader, or his designee, on which there shall be a time limitation for 
debate of two hours equally divided between the Majority and the 
Minority Leaders, or their designees: Provided, That any motion to 
proceed, by the Majority Leader, or any other Senator, to any motion, 
resolution, or proposal to change any of the Standing Rules of the 
Senate shall be debatable.''.
    That rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate is amended by 
striking the ``.'' at the end of paragraph 3 of section 2 and inserting 
in lieu thereof the following: ``, such appeals shall require an 
affirmative vote of three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen and 
sworn--except on a measure or motion to amend the Senate rules, in 
which case the necessary affirmative vote shall be two-thirds of the 
Senators present and voting.''.
    That rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate is amended by 
adding at the end of paragraph 3 of section 2 the following: ``In the 
case of a measure that has been reported by a committee that contains 
recommended committee amendments, such amendments shall be considered 
germane.''.
    That rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate is amended by 
striking the ``.'' after speaks in paragraph 3 of section 2 and 
inserting in lieu thereof the following: ``, with the time consumed by 
quorum calls being charged to the Senator who requested the call of the 
quorum.''.
    That rule XV of the Standing Rules of the Senate is amended by 
adding the following:
    ``6. That whenever the Senate has in its possession a measure that 
has been passed by both Houses it shall be in order, once the measure 
has been placed before the Senate, to make one nondivisible motion that 
contains the following: to insist on the Senate amendment(s), or 
disagree to the House amendment(s); to request a conference with the 
House on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses, or agree to the 
request of the House for the same; and that the Presiding Officer be 
authorized to appoint the Senate conferees.''.
    That rule XXVIII of the Standing Rules of the Senate is amended by 
striking ``and shall be determined without debate.'' in paragraph 1. 
and inserting in lieu thereof the following: ``notwithstanding a 
request for the reading of the conference report, and shall be 
determined without debate.''.
    That rule XV of the Standing Rules of the Senate is amended by 
adding at the end thereof the following new paragraph:
    ``6. (a) At any time following the second day of consideration of a 
measure, regardless of its pendency, it shall twice be in order during 
a calendar day to move that no amendment, other than the reported 
committee amendments, which is not relevant to the subject matter of 
the measure or to the subject matter of an amendment proposed by the 
committee which reported the measure, shall thereafter be in order. The 
motion shall be privileged and shall be decided after two hours of 
debate, without any intervening action, to be equally divided and 
controlled by the Majority and the Minority leaders or their designees.
    ``(b) If a motion made under subparagraph (a) is agreed to by an 
affirmative vote of three-fifths of the Senators voting, a quorum being 
present, no amendment not already agreed to (except amendments proposed 
by the committee which reported the measure) which is not relevant to 
the subject matter of the measure, or the subject matter of an 
amendment proposed by the committee which reported the measure, shall 
be in order.
    ``(c) When a motion made under subparagraph (a) has been agreed to 
as provided in subparagraph (b) with respect to a measure, points of 
order with respect to questions of relevancy of amendments shall be 
decided without debate, except that the Presiding Officer may entertain 
debate for his own guidance prior to ruling on the point of order. 
Appeals from the decision of the Presiding Officer on such points of 
order shall be decided without debate.
    ``(d) Whenever an appeal is taken from a decision of the Presiding 
Officer on the question of relevancy of an amendment, or whenever the 
Presiding Officer submits the question of relevancy of an amendment to 
the Senate, the vote necessary to overturn the decision of the 
Presiding Officer or hold the amendment relevant shall be three-fifths 
of the Senators voting, a quorum being present. No amendment proposing 
sense of the Senate or sense of the Congress language that does not 
directly relate to the measure or matter before the Senate shall be 
considered relevant.''.

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