This report compares selected House and Senate rules of procedure for various stages of the legislative process: referral of legislation to committees; scheduling and calling up measures; and floor consideration. In general multiple referrals are more common in the House than in the Senate. The Senate Majority Leader has the authority to raise measures for Senate floor consideration. Special rules must be agreed to by a majority vote of the House. The agreements are negotiated by the Majority Leader, in consultation with the Minority Leader, committee chairmen, and interested Senators. Complex unanimous consent agreements are printed in the Senate's daily "Calendar of Business," and in the Congressional Record . It is easier to circumvent committees in the Senate than in the House, primarily because Senators generally have the right to offer non-germane amendments (commonly known as "riders") to measures being considered on the floor. Floor Consideration

		Presiding Officer and Recognition Practices

The Speaker of the House is both the leader of the majority party and the chamber's presiding officer. In this dual position, the Speaker uses his parliamentary and political powers to govern House floor proceedings. In the Senate, individual Senators have the right to unlimited debate. Amending Measures

The House typically meets in the Committee of the Whole to consider legislation that will be amended. Such amendment[s] must then be approved by the full House. The Senate (the chamber does not have a Committee of the Whole) considers and amends legislation in a less structured manner than the House. Germaneness of amendments is not required in the Senate, except in four specific instances: 1) if a unanimous consent agreement so requires; 2) in the post-cloture period (see previous section); 3) if a rule-making provision in a statute so requires (e.g., provisions of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Act of 1974 governing consideration of budget resolutions and reconciliation bills); and 4) if the underlying measure is a general appropriations bill. Senate quorum calls are in order at almost any time. Voting Procedures

The House and Senate each have three main types of votes: voice , division , and record . Adjournment and Legislative Days

The House routinely adjourns at the end of a day's proceedings. This means that a legislative day in the Senate can continue for many calendar days.
More differences than similarities emerge when comparing selected House and Senate rules of procedure for referring legislation to committees, and for scheduling, raising and considering measures on the floor.
While the House uses four calendars (Union, House, Private, Discharge), the Senate only employs two calendars (Legislative and Executive). The House's system of special days for considering certain types of measures (e.g., "District Days") has no equivalent in the Senate.
In making scheduling decisions, the Speaker typically consults only with majority party leaders and selected Representatives whereas the Senate Majority Leader confers broadly with minority party leaders and interested Senators. The Speaker's dual position as leader of the majority party and the House's presiding officer gives him more authority to govern floor proceedings than the Senate's presiding officer. While debate time is always restricted in the House, individual Senators generally have the right to unlimited debate.
Most noncontroversial measures are approved by "suspension of the rules" in the House, and by unanimous consent in the Senate. Floor consideration of major bills is generally governed by "special rules" in the House, and by "complex unanimous consent agreements" in the Senate. The House typically meets in the Committee of the Whole to consider major legislation; no such committee exists in the Senate. The House considers and amends legislation in a more structured manner (e.g., by section or title) than the Senate. In addition, while germaneness of amendments is required in the House, it is mandated only in four instances in the Senate. Rollcall votes can be requested at almost any time in the Senate, but only after completing a voice or division vote in the House.
Because the Senate often recesses instead of adjourning at the end of the day, Senate legislative days can continue for several calendar days. By contrast, the House routinely adjourns at the end of each legislative day.