Here’s what a ‘vote-a-rama’ is (and what it means for stimulus)
Republicans are planning to use the process to put Democrats in a tough position to not just stay united, but also consistent about the stimulus package.
Lawmakers cannot hold a final vote on a reconciliation bill until all the amendments have been “disposed of,” or in simpler terms “voted on.”
The practice involves votes on a series of amendments that can — and usually do — stretch for hours.
How do lawmakers use the process?
The party in charge typically wants to move this vote-a-rama along as quickly as possible with as few votes as possible. The minority party takes the opportunity to force votes on all kinds of measures they don’t typically have the power to put on the floor.
How long does each vote take?
Usually, lawmakers agree to a process that looks a lot like this.
- Lawmaker introduces an amendment (sometimes it is just written on a piece of paper).
- There is a minute of debate equally divided by each side.
- 10 minutes to vote.
Each amendment takes about 15 minutes or so to get through. The process moves quickly by Senate standards, which is why it is so important for members to basically stay in or close by the chamber for the entire marathon event.
How will the vote-a-rama play out for the Covid-19 package?
Republicans, who have denounced the bill as a partisan measure, are signaling they’ll use the vote-a-rama to make things as painful as possible for Democrats.
In addition to forcing a full reading of the bill, which could take 10 hours, Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin has indicated he could take steps to stretch out the timeline for considering the legislation and any amendments offered to it.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called out Johnson in a floor speech Thursday, saying, “We all know this will merely delay the inevitable.” But Democrats will also have to be mindful of some internal division that could spill into public view.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, has said he plans to introduce an amendment that would raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Many Democrats believe Sanders’ amendment violates the spirit of unity among the caucus.
How is this vote-a-rama different than the last one?
Any amendment only needs 51 votes to pass — but there is a catch. At the very end of the process, Schumer can introduce a final amendment that would strip any changes from the bill.
What is Biden saying?
CNN’s Lauren Fox, Clare Foran and Manu Raju contributed to this report.
