[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 53 (Thursday, March 19, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1859-S1860]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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  SENATE RESOLUTION 548--AMENDING THE STANDING RULES OF THE SENATE TO 
  ENABLE THE PARTICIPATION OF ABSENT SENATORS DURING A NATIONAL CRISIS

  Mr. PORTMAN (for himself and Mr. Durbin) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules and 
Administration:

                              S. Res. 548

       Resolved, That

     SECTION 1. PARTICIPATION OF ABSENT SENATORS DURING A NATIONAL 
                   CRISIS.

        Rule XII of the Standing Rules of the Senate is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``5. Senators may use technology that has been approved by 
     the Secretary of the Senate and Sergeant at Arms and Director 
     of the Doorkeepers as reliable and secure to cast their votes 
     from outside of the Senate Chamber if the Majority Leader or 
     his or her designee and the Minority Leader or his or her 
     designee determine that an extraordinary crisis of national 
     extent exists in which it would be infeasible for Senators to 
     cast their votes in person. Senators in such circumstance may 
     then cast votes under this paragraph only during the 30-day 
     period beginning on the date on which such determination is 
     made unless such period is renewed by an affirmative vote of 
     three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen and sworn. During 
     such period, Senators participating remotely and using 
     approved technology to cast their votes under this paragraph 
     shall be deemed present for quorum purposes. The 
     determination made under this paragraph shall not rely on any 
     decision of any other branch of the United States Government. 
     The Majority Leader or his or her designee and the Minority 
     Leader or his or her designee shall submit at the beginning 
     of the first session of each Congress an order for

[[Page S1860]]

     designees of each caucus in the case of such a crisis.''.

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