A resolution amending the Standing Rules of the Senate to enable the participation of absent Senators during a national crisis.

III 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. RES. 201 Amending the Standing Rules of the Senate to enable the participation of absent Senators during a national crisis. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES APRIL 29, 2021 Mr. PORTMAN (for himself, Mr. DURBIN, Ms. WARREN, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. KING, and Mr. SCHATZ) submitted the following resolution; which was re- ferred to the Committee on Rules and Administration RESOLUTION Amending the Standing Rules of the Senate to enable the participation of absent Senators during a national crisis. Resolved, 1 SECTION 1. PARTICIPATION OF ABSENT SENATORS DUR- 2 ING A NATIONAL CRISIS. 3 Rule XII of the Standing Rules of the Senate is 4 amended by adding at the end the following: 5 ‘‘5. Senators may use technology that has been 6 approved by the Secretary of the Senate and the 7 Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate as 8 reliable and secure to cast their votes from outside 9 of the Senate Chamber if the majority leader or his 10 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:39 Apr 30, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR201.IS SR201 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 2 •SRES 201 IS or her designee and the minority leader or his or her 1 designee jointly determine that an extraordinary cri- 2 sis of national extent exists in which it would be in- 3 feasible for Senators to cast their votes in person. If 4 such a crisis is determined to exist, Senators may 5 cast votes under this paragraph during the 30-day 6 period beginning on the date on which such deter- 7 mination is made, unless such period is extended for 8 one or more additional 30-day periods by an affirm- 9 ative vote of three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen 10 and sworn. During such period, Senators partici- 11 pating remotely and using approved technology to 12 cast their votes under this paragraph shall be 13 deemed present for purposes of establishing the 14 presence of a quorum. The determination made 15 under this paragraph shall not rely on any decision 16 of any other branch of the United States Govern- 17 ment. The majority leader or his or her designee and 18 the minority leader or his or her designee shall sub- 19 mit at the beginning of the first session of each Con- 20 gress an order for designees of each caucus in the 21 case of such a crisis.’’. 22 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:39 Apr 30, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR201.IS SR201 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS