[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 76 (Thursday, June 16, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 228--ORIGINAL RESOLUTION REPORTED TO IMPROVE SENATE 
                            FLOOR PROCEDURES

  Mr. FORD, from the Committee on Rules and Administration reported the 
following original resolution; which was placed on the calendar:

                              S. Res. 228

       Resolved,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE AND TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       (a) Short Title.--This resolution may be cited as the 
     ``Senate Floor Procedures Reform Resolution of 1994''.
       (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents is as 
     follows:

Sec. 1. Short title and table of contents.
Sec. 2. Sense of the Senate amendments.
Sec. 3. Dispensing with the reading of conference reports.
Sec. 4. Nondebatable motion to proceed.
Sec. 5. Requirement of a three-fifths vote to overturn the chair post-
              cloture.
Sec. 6. Restriction on amendments to appropriation bills.

     SEC. 2. SENSE OF THE SENATE AMENDMENTS.

       Rule XV of the Standing Rules of the Senate is amended by 
     inserting at the end thereof the following:
       ``6. On a point of order made by any Senator, no amendment 
     expressing the sense of the Senate or the sense of the 
     Congress, or an amendment to such amendment, shall be 
     received unless the amendment is signed by at least 10 
     Senators.''.

     SEC. 3. DISPENSING WITH THE READING OF CONFERENCE REPORTS.

       Paragraph 1 of rule XXVIII of the Standing Rules of the 
     Senate is amended by striking ``and shall be determined 
     without debate.'' and inserting the following: 
     ``notwithstanding a request for the reading of the conference 
     report (if such report is printed and available one day prior 
     to the motion to consider), and shall be determined without 
     debate.''.

     SEC. 4. NONDEBATABLE MOTION TO PROCEED.

       Paragraph 2 of rule VIII of the Standing Rules of the 
     Senate is amended by striking the period at the end thereof 
     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. Any such motion to proceed, by 
     the majority leader, or any other Senator, to any motion, 
     resolution, or amendment to change any of the Standing Rules 
     of the Senate shall be debatable.''.

     SEC. 5. REQUIREMENT OF A THREE-FIFTHS VOTE TO OVERTURN THE 
                   CHAIR POST-CLOTURE.

       The third undesignated paragraph of paragraph 2 of rule 
     XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate is amended by adding 
     at the end thereof the following: ``Appeals from the decision 
     of the Presiding Officer 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.''.

     SEC. 6. RESTRICTION ON AMENDMENTS TO APPROPRIATION BILLS.

       Paragraph 4 of rule XVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate 
     is amended by--
       (1) inserting ``as passed by the House or as reported to 
     the Senate,'' after ``contained in the bill'';
       (2) striking ``relevancy of amendments under this rule'' 
     and inserting ``relevancy or germaneness of amendments under 
     this paragraph'';
       (3) striking ``submitted to the Senate and be decided 
     without debate'' and inserting ``ruled on by the chair'';
       (4) inserting ``(a)'' after ``4.''; and
       (5) adding at the end thereof the following:
       ``(b)(1) An affirmative vote of three-fifths of the 
     Senators, duly chosen and sworn, shall be required to 
     overturn a ruling of the Chair regarding questions of 
     germaneness, relevancy, or legislation under this paragraph.
       ``(2) This paragraph may be waived with respect to an 
     amendment by the affirmative vote of three-fifths of the 
     Senators, duly chosen and sworn.''.

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