[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 9 (Thursday, January 24, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S293]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 15--TO IMPROVE PROCEDURES FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF 
               LEGISLATION AND NOMINATIONS IN THE SENATE

  Mr. REID of Nevada (for himself, Mr. Levin, and Mr. McCain) submitted 
the following resolution; which was submitted and read:

                               S. Res. 15

       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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