American Government / Unit 7 Gov 329 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Cloture
Captions available
The idea
Cloture ends Senate debate, and since 1975 requires three-fifths of the Senate — sixty votes.
In practice
Routine cloture demands raise a bill's effective threshold from a fifty-one-vote majority to sixty.
Where people slip
Exceptions exist — the Senate has carved out nominations and budget reconciliation.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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