This course is designed to bring new Senate staffers up to speed and remind veterans of the tools and strategies they have at their disposal. Senate Procedure and Strategy 101 will cover the basic mechanics of the Senate floor, including the interaction between regular order and unanimous consent, cloture, moving to proceed, and the fundamentals of the Senate’s amendment tree and appropriations process. Each session ends with a practicum where attendees are encouraged to apply their skills in context. This a “must take” class for any Senate staffer and a prerequisite for Senate Procedure & Strategy 201, our advanced Senate procedure course.
An introduction to key concepts and procedural features of Senate procedure and the Senate floor.
An overview of Rule 13, Rule 14, and Rule 22 in the context of daily Senate operations, as well as the motion to proceed and an introduction to cloture.
How unanimous consent interacts with the Senate, creates leverage, and informs the Senate’s custom of holds – and how to handle it.
An overview of the forms and types of amendments, drafting guidance, and how amendments are made pending utilizing the Senate’s amendment tree.
The basics of appropriating and an introduction to the Senate’s Rule 16, which covers the appropriations process in the Senate.