Under current United States Senate practice, a 60-vote supermajority is generally required to invoke cloture and end debate on most legislation, meaning most bills cannot advance without reaching that threshold.
November 24, 2025
high
procedural
Describes the cloture threshold commonly associated with the Senate filibuster and its effect on advancing legislation.
The filibuster is a Senate procedural practice rather than a provision written into the United States Constitution.
November 24, 2025
high
legal
Distinguishes the filibuster as a rule/practice of the Senate rather than a constitutional requirement.
The practice commonly referred to as the filibuster traces its origins to United States Senate rule changes enacted in 1806.
November 24, 2025
high
historical
Identifies the historical origin often cited for the development of the filibuster practice.
Under the federal Vacancies Act, an acting official may generally serve in an acting role for 210 days, and that 210-day period is suspended if the President submits a nomination for the position until the Senate acts on the nomination.
November 19, 2025
high
legal
Describes the Vacancies Act time limit for acting officials and the effect of a presidential nomination on that time limit.
In the United States federal legislative process, a bill approved by the House of Representatives must also be passed by the Senate and then be presented to the President to become law.
November 18, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the procedural steps required for a bill to become law in the U.S. federal system.
Under the U.S. federal legislative process, if the Senate amends a bill that originated in the House, the amended bill must return to the House for further consideration and a vote.
November 12, 2025
high
procedural
General rule of bicameral lawmaking in the U.S. Congress
After cloture, final passage of most bills in the United States Senate is achieved by a simple majority vote, allowing the majority party to pass legislation without minority support once debate is closed.
November 10, 2025
high
procedural
Cloture ends debate and sets the timeframe after which the Senate votes on final passage, which typically requires a majority.
A senator's vote to invoke cloture (end debate) on a bill does not necessarily indicate how that senator will vote on the bill's final passage.
November 10, 2025
high
procedural
Cloture votes are procedural and separate from the substantive up-or-down vote on legislation.
The United States Senate can adopt unanimous consent agreements or negotiated time agreements to limit debate and accelerate consideration and final voting on legislation.
November 10, 2025
high
procedural
Unanimous consent and time agreements are tools to manage floor time and expedite legislative action.
Advancing a government funding bill in the United States Senate is a procedural step that can enable reopening the federal government during a shutdown.
November 10, 2025
high
temporal
Describes the legislative process by which funding measures can end a federal government shutdown.
Advancing legislation in the United States Senate typically requires securing sufficient support from senators, which can include support from members of multiple political parties.
November 10, 2025
high
temporal
General principle about vote thresholds and the role of cross-party support in advancing Senate legislation.
The United States Senate's filibuster rules generally require 60 votes to advance most legislation.
November 09, 2025
high
institutional
Senate filibuster procedure and vote threshold for moving most legislation.
The legislative filibuster in the United States Senate requires 60 votes to overcome for most legislation.
November 08, 2025
high
temporal
Threshold for ending debate and proceeding to a vote on most Senate legislation.
United States federal law prohibits noncitizens (aliens) from voting in elections for President, Vice President, presidential electors, members of the House of Representatives, members of the Senate, the Delegate from the District of Columbia, and the Resident Commissioner.
November 05, 2025
high
legal
Scope of federal restrictions on noncitizen voting in U.S. federal elections.
Charles Schumer is the United States Senate Minority Leader representing New York and is a member of the Democratic Party.
November 05, 2025
high
temporal
Identifies the Senate leadership role and party affiliation of Chuck Schumer.
John Thune is the United States Senate Majority Leader representing South Dakota and is a member of the Republican Party.
November 05, 2025
high
temporal
Identifies the Senate leadership role and party affiliation of John Thune.
Jeff Merkley is a United States Senator representing the state of Oregon.
October 22, 2025
high
static
Identifies the elected office held by Jeff Merkley.
Most legislation in the United States Senate requires 60 votes to advance past debate and proceed to final consideration (the Senate cloture threshold).
October 16, 2025
high
legislative
This is a Senate procedural rule used to end extended debate or overcome a filibuster on most legislative matters.
Congressional leaders can advance a full-year, department-level appropriations bill (for example, a full-year defense appropriations bill) as a legislative vehicle and attempt to attach additional funding measures or provisions to that bill.
October 16, 2025
high
legislative
Using a full-year appropriations bill as a vehicle is a common legislative strategy to fund a department and to consolidate or attach other funding items.
The United States Senate has a 'blue slip' tradition that allows a home-state senator to effectively block consideration of a federal judicial nominee from their state by refusing to return a blue slip.
October 16, 2025
high
procedural
Describes a long-standing Senate practice governing home-state senator input on judicial nominations.
The United States Senate typically requires 60 votes to invoke cloture and advance most legislation.
October 15, 2025
high
procedural
Cloture is the Senate procedure to end debate (including overcoming filibusters) and proceed to a vote on most legislation.
Under U.S. Senate rules in 2025, 60 votes are typically required to invoke cloture and advance most measures, which can necessitate bipartisan support when the majority party holds fewer than 60 seats.
October 14, 2025
high
procedural
Describes the Senate cloture threshold and its effect on needing cross-party votes.
John Fetterman is a Democratic United States Senator representing the state of Pennsylvania.
October 06, 2025
high
biographical
Elected member of the U.S. Senate and party affiliation.
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.
Members of the United States Senate serve six-year terms.
October 06, 2025
high
temporal
Basic structural fact about the U.S. federal legislature.
In the United States Senate, a 60-vote threshold is commonly required to end debate or overcome a filibuster on many measures in the 100-member Senate.
October 06, 2025
high
procedural
Describes the Senate cloture/filibuster threshold as a durable legislative procedure.
The United States Senate's filibuster requires 60 votes to invoke cloture for most legislation; eliminating the filibuster would permit passing most legislation with a simple majority (50 votes plus the vice president as tie-breaker).
September 30, 2025
high
procedural
Senate cloture rule and the practical effect of removing the filibuster on legislative vote thresholds.
The "nuclear option" is a parliamentary procedure in the United States Senate used to change Senate rules to eliminate or limit the filibuster and permit actions by a simple majority.
September 30, 2025
high
definitional
Definition of the term as it applies to Senate procedure.
Mike Braun served as a United States Senator prior to being elected governor of Indiana in 2024.
January 01, 2024
high
biographical
Previous political office held by Mike Braun before his 2024 gubernatorial election.
The United States Senate requires 60 votes to overcome a filibuster and pass most legislation, creating a bipartisan threshold for many bills.
January 01, 2024
high
procedural
Describes the Senate filibuster threshold that affects how legislation can pass the chamber.
A proposed federal legislative provision would require service providers to notify a senator's Senate office and the Senate Sergeant at Arms when federal law enforcement requests that senator's data, and a court may not delay that notification unless the senator is the target of a criminal investigation.
January 01, 2022
high
legal
Notification and delay exceptions as described in proposed legislation covering alleged data-seizure or subpoena actions against senators.
A proposed federal legislative provision would allow any United States Senator whose Senate data has been acquired, subpoenaed, searched, accessed, or disclosed in violation of the notification requirements to bring a civil action against the United States if the violation was committed by an officer, employee, or agent of the United States.
January 01, 2022
high
legal
Civil-rights style private cause of action for alleged violations of statutory notification protections for senators' data.
A proposed federal legislative provision would set statutory damages of $500,000 for each violation of the notification requirements when a United States officer, employee, or agent is responsible for the violation.
January 01, 2022
high
legal
Monetary remedy specified in proposed legislation for notification-provision violations involving senators' data.
A proposed federal legislative provision would allow senators to file civil suits up to five years after a senator is first made aware of an alleged violation and would permit the government to defend by asserting that the senator was a target of a criminal investigation or that a notification delay was authorized by a court order.
January 01, 2022
high
legal
Statute of limitations and government defenses specified in proposed legislation governing notification and lawsuits over senators' data.
Karin J. Immergut is a United States District Judge for the District of Oregon who was nominated by President Donald Trump and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2019.
January 01, 2019
high
temporal
Federal judicial appointment and confirmation.
Susan Collins has served as a U.S. Senator from Maine since 1997.
January 03, 1997
high
temporal
Tenure of Maine's U.S. senator
Richard Blumenthal is a United States Senator representing the state of Connecticut.
high
temporal
Identifies a long-term political officeholder.
The United States Senate Judiciary Committee conducts hearings in which senators question officials and witnesses.
high
procedural
Describes the durable function and forum of a congressional committee.
Tim Kaine is a United States Senator representing the Commonwealth of Virginia.
high
biographical
Identifies elected federal office held.
The United States Senate generally requires 60 votes to invoke cloture and overcome a filibuster to advance most legislation.
high
procedural
Explains the Senate supermajority threshold commonly used to end debate on legislation.
The U.S. Senate can cancel or alter scheduled recesses to keep senators in session when urgent legislative business, such as resolving a funding lapse, is pending.
high
temporal
Senate floor schedule and recesses are adjustable to address pressing congressional matters.
United States Senate procedures permit a minority of senators to use procedural votes or holds to block the advancement of funding or appropriations bills, which can prevent bills from reaching final passage.
high
process
Describes a durable aspect of Senate legislative procedure that allows minority obstruction of bill advancement.
In the United States Senate, 60 affirmative votes are typically required to advance most legislation past procedural hurdles.
high
procedural
Cloture/filibuster threshold for advancing legislation in the Senate.
A senator in the U.S. Senate can use a procedural mechanism to force a floor vote to challenge a presidential emergency declaration, and such a resolution requires a simple majority to pass the Senate.
high
procedural
Describes Senate procedure for congressional challenges to presidential emergency declarations.
Certain Senate resolutions to terminate a presidential national emergency can be approved by a simple majority in the Senate and are not subject to the 60-vote threshold that applies to most other legislation.
high
procedural
Congressional procedures for voting on resolutions terminating national emergencies differ from cloture/filibuster thresholds that typically require 60 votes in the Senate.
Nominees for the U.S. Surgeon General undergo confirmation hearings before the United States Senate.
high
process
Explains the confirmation process for surgeon general nominees.
The Senate filibuster is a procedural tool in the United States Senate that allows extended debate and can be used to block or delay legislation.
high
process
Describes the nature and function of the filibuster as a Senate procedure.
The 'nuclear option' is a parliamentary tactic used in the United States Senate to change Senate rules by majority vote in order to eliminate or limit the filibuster.
high
process
Explains what the term 'nuclear option' refers to in the context of Senate rule changes.
In the United States Senate, most legislation can be passed with a simple majority, but the filibuster is a Senate procedure that allows a single senator to delay debate and can be ended only by a 60-vote cloture vote, which effectively creates a 60-vote threshold to end debate on most legislation.
high
procedural
Explains how the filibuster and cloture interact with majority voting in the U.S. Senate.
The United States Senate filibuster is a parliamentary rule that generally requires a 60-vote threshold to advance most legislation.
high
procedural
Describes the Senate rule that sets a supermajority threshold for advancing most bills.
In the United States Senate, advancing most legislation over a filibuster typically requires reaching a 60-vote threshold (cloture).
high
procedural
The 60-vote threshold is the conventional requirement to invoke cloture and proceed to a final vote on many measures in the Senate.
In the U.S. Senate, invoking cloture to end a filibuster on most matters requires 60 affirmative votes.
high
procedural
Senate rule for ending extended debate (filibuster) on most questions.
Final passage of most legislation in the U.S. Senate requires a simple majority vote.
high
procedural
Voting threshold for passing legislation in the Senate after debate or cloture.
After cloture is invoked in the U.S. Senate, the chamber is allotted a limited additional period of debate before a final vote.
high
procedural
Post-cloture debate time is a standard part of Senate procedure prior to final passage votes.
In the United States Senate, unanimous agreement of all 100 senators can be used to fast-track consideration of legislation and substantially shorten the time required to advance a bill.
high
procedural
Describes a common Senate mechanism (unanimous consent/agreement) for expediting legislative procedure.
Individual senators in the United States Senate can use procedural objections to delay or block legislative progress, allowing a minority of senators to extend the time required for bills to reach a vote.
high
procedural
Describes how Senate procedural tools can be employed to slow or impede the legislative process.
The United States Senate can use unanimous consent agreements to expedite consideration and voting on legislation.
high
procedural
Senate floor procedure allowing expedited handling of bills when no senator objects.
Individual U.S. senators can obtain votes on specific amendments during floor consideration of legislation, including government funding measures.
high
procedural
Floor consideration of bills typically allows amendment offers and individual votes on those amendments.
A legally binding defense treaty with the United States requires Senate approval (advice and consent) to become binding under U.S. constitutional practice.
high
legal
U.S. treaties are subject to the Constitution's requirement that the Senate provide advice and consent for ratification.
A President of the United States can nominate an individual to serve as a Senate-confirmed United States Attorney, withdraw that nomination, and keep the individual serving in an acting capacity; such acting appointments can be subject to legal challenge.
high
process
Describes the nomination, withdrawal, and acting-appointment process for U.S. attorneys and the potential for legal disputes over such appointments.
United States federal judges are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
high
legal
The appointment process for Article III federal judges involves presidential nomination and Senate confirmation.
The U.S. Constitution and federal law allocate appointment authority for U.S. attorneys by giving the President the power to nominate U.S. attorneys and giving the Senate the role of advising on and confirming those nominations.
high
legal
Describes the constitutional and statutory allocation of appointment and confirmation roles for U.S. attorneys.