More on the bill making process.
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The insistence of a reading by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., ensured a slow start to deliberations on a mammoth coronavirus aid package that Republicans appeared to uniformly oppose.
"So often we rush these massive bills that are hundreds of thousands of pages long," Johnson said Thursday. "How can you craft effective amendments on a bill that you haven't even seen or haven't been given time to read?"
The “vote-a-rama” on amendments was likely to begin around midday Friday, senators were told Thursday night. That estimate assumes senators would forgo some of the 20 hours allotted for general debate under the rules of budget reconciliation, the process used to avoid a Republican filibuster.
But signs emerged late Thursday that Republicans might be willing to move more expeditiously once the amendment process begins. “Once we get our top 40 amendments in … then you'll see diminishing returns set in and probably some movement towards concluding it,” Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., told reporters.
- What is "vote-a-rama?
From The District Policy Group.
Definition: A series of stacked votes in short succession.
History: Senate rules allow for special consideration of amendments during the budget process. After 50 hours of debate on the budget, Senators may bring any remaining amendments, as long as they are germane (relevant to the legislation at hand), to the floor for a vote. The budget is not subject to filibuster and only 51 votes are needed to pass a measure. When a vote-a-rama starts, Senators are given a few minutes to introduce their amendment and state their case. The opposition is usually then given a short period of time to present their argument. Then the Senate votes; each vote lasts about ten minutes. This process repeats for each amendment presented and ruled germane. Amendments may be filed any time before the vote-a-rama begins, or they may be presented any time before the voting concludes.
U.S. Senate: "Vote-aramas" (1977 to Present)
