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III
116TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
S. RES. 548
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
MARCH 19, 2020
Mr. PORTMAN (for himself and Mr. DURBIN) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred 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, That
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SECTION 1. PARTICIPATION OF ABSENT SENATORS DUR-
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ING A NATIONAL CRISIS.
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Rule XII of the Standing Rules of the Senate is
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amended by adding at the end the following:
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‘‘5. Senators may use technology that has been
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approved by the Secretary of the Senate and Ser-
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geant at Arms and Director of the Doorkeepers as
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reliable and secure to cast their votes from outside
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of the Senate Chamber if the majority leader or his
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•SRES 548 IS
or her designee and the minority leader or his or her
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designee determine that an extraordinary crisis of
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national extent exists in which it would be infeasible
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for Senators to cast their votes in person. Senators
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in such circumstance may then cast votes under this
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paragraph only during the 30-day period beginning
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on the date on which such determination is made
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unless such period is renewed by an affirmative vote
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of three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen and
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sworn. During such period, Senators participating
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remotely and using approved technology to cast their
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votes under this paragraph shall be deemed present
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for quorum purposes. The determination made
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under this paragraph shall not rely on any decision
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of any other branch of the United States Govern-
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ment. The majority leader or his or her designee and
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the minority leader or his or her designee shall sub-
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mit at the beginning of the first session of each Con-
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gress an order for designees of each caucus in the
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case of such a crisis.’’.
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Æ
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