[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 15 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 15

    To improve procedures for the consideration of legislation and 
                       nominations in the Senate.


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                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

             January 24 (legislative day, January 3), 2013

    Mr. Reid (for himself, Mr. Levin, and Mr. McCain) submitted the 
        following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    To improve procedures for the consideration of legislation and 
                       nominations in the Senate.

    Resolved,

SECTION 1. CONSIDERATION OF LEGISLATION.

    (a) Motion To Proceed and Consideration of Amendments.--A motion to 
proceed to the consideration of a measure or matter made pursuant to 
this section shall be debatable for no more than 4 hours, equally 
divided in the usual form. If the motion to proceed is agreed to the 
following conditions shall apply:
            (1) The first amendments in order to the measure or matter 
        shall be one first-degree amendment each offered by the 
        minority, the majority, the minority, and the majority, in that 
        order. If an amendment is not offered in its designated order 
        under this paragraph, the right to offer that amendment is 
        forfeited.
            (2) If a cloture motion has been filed pursuant to rule 
        XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate on a measure or matter 
        proceeded to under this section, it shall not be in order for 
        the minority to propose its first amendment unless it has been 
        submitted to the Senate Journal Clerk by 1:00 p.m. on the day 
        following the filing of that cloture motion, for the majority 
        to propose its first amendment unless it has been submitted to 
        the Senate Journal Clerk by 3:00 p.m. on the day following the 
        filing of that cloture motion, for the minority to propose its 
        second amendment unless it has been submitted to the Senate 
        Journal Clerk by 5:00 p.m. on the day following the filing of 
        that cloture motion, or for the majority to propose its second 
        amendment unless it has been submitted to the Senate Journal 
        Clerk by 7:00 p.m. on the day following the filing of that 
        cloture motion. If an amendment is not timely submitted under 
        this paragraph, the right to offer that amendment is forfeited.
            (3) An amendment offered under paragraph (1) shall be 
        disposed of before the next amendment in order under paragraph 
        (1) may be offered.
            (4) An amendment offered under paragraph (1) is not 
        divisible or subject to amendment while pending.
            (5) An amendment offered under paragraph (1), if adopted, 
        shall be considered original text for purpose of further 
        amendment.
            (6) No points of order shall be waived by virtue of this 
        section.
            (7) No motion to commit or recommit shall be in order 
        during the pendency of any amendment offered pursuant to 
        paragraph (1).
            (8) Notwithstanding rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the 
        Senate, if cloture is invoked on the measure or matter before 
        all amendments offered under paragraph (1) are disposed of, any 
        amendment in order under paragraph (1) but not actually pending 
        upon the expiration of post-cloture time may be offered and may 
        be debated for not to exceed 1 hour, equally divided in the 
        usual form. Any amendment offered under paragraph (1) that is 
        ruled non-germane on a point of order shall not fall upon that 
        ruling, but instead shall remain pending and shall require 60 
        votes in the affirmative to be agreed to.
    (b) Sunset.--This section shall expire on the day after the date of 
the sine die adjournment of the 113th Congress.

SEC. 2. CONSIDERATION OF NOMINATIONS.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Post-cloture consideration.--If cloture is invoked in 
        accordance with rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate 
        on a nomination described in paragraph (2), there shall be no 
        more than 8 hours of post-cloture consideration equally divided 
        in the usual form.
            (2) Nominations covered.--A nomination described in this 
        paragraph is any nomination except for the nomination of an 
        individual--
                    (A) to a position at level I of the Executive 
                Schedule under section 5312 of title 5, United States 
                Code; or
                    (B) to serve as a judge or justice appointed to 
                hold office during good behavior.
    (b) Special Rule for District Court Nominees.--If cloture is 
invoked in accordance with rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the 
Senate on a nomination of an individual to serve as a judge of a 
district court of the United States, there shall be no more than 2 
hours of post-cloture consideration equally divided in the usual form.
    (c) Sunset.--This section shall expire on the day after the date of 
the sine die adjournment of the 113th Congress.
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