The Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives controls the House's schedule and can extend or call recesses.
October 07, 2025
high
procedural
The Speaker sets the legislative calendar and determines when the chamber is in or out of session.
In the United States Senate, 60 votes are generally required to invoke cloture and advance most legislation or to overcome a filibuster.
October 06, 2025
high
procedural
Senate voting threshold for cloture and overcoming filibusters under standard Senate rules.
The U.S. Senate can adopt a majority-vote rule change (commonly called the "nuclear option") to permit confirmation of nominees by a simple majority rather than a supermajority.
high
procedural
Describes a Senate procedural mechanism for changing confirmation vote thresholds.
Subcabinet-level nominees that have bipartisan support in committee are commonly expedited in the U.S. Senate through unanimous consent or by a voice vote.
high
procedural
Describes typical fast-track Senate practices for noncontroversial nominees.
A Senate rule change can be structured to allow an unlimited number of nominees to be considered and confirmed in a single batch, while still requiring specified procedural steps before final confirmation votes.
high
procedural
Describes how aggregate confirmation batches can be enabled by procedural rule changes.
In the U.S. House of Representatives, a member-elect cannot perform official duties or represent their district in Congress until they have been officially sworn into office.
high
procedural
Describes the constitutional/House practice that members must take the oath before exercising congressional duties.
The U.S. House of Representatives holds pro-forma sessions during which procedural actions, such as administering the oath to a member-elect, can take place.
high
procedural
Pro-forma sessions are brief meetings of the House intended to fulfill constitutional or procedural requirements while the House is otherwise not conducting regular legislative business.