US Senate UNANIMOUSLY passes Remembrance Day Oct 14th for Kirk

[Wiz Imp]

266. No they couldn't have done it with just any legislation

Last edited Sat Sep 20, 2025, 07:54 PM - Edit history (2)

They could do it because it was a largely meaningless non binding resolution. This video at the 46 second mark shows Tuberville calling for unanimous consent. When he says "all in favor say aye", you can only hear one person say aye - that is presumably Rick Scott. Based on the Congressional Record, Senate Press Gallery & video, Hagerty, Tuberville, Moreno & Lankford were there and I assume Blackburn was also still present. But it's obvious the Senate was virtually empty.

On Edit: the distinction between legislation and a resolution relates to the fact that for a resolution like this, Democrats didn't care if Republicans passed it on their own so they didn't object to the lack of a quorum. However, for any remotely significant legislation, the Democrats would be sure to have someone there to ask for a quorum call to prevent Republicans from passing legislation with like 5 people present.

From the actual Voting and Quorum Procedures in the Senate:
https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/96-452#:~:text=A%20straightforward%20reading%20of%20the,3

A straightforward reading of the Constitution's quorum requirement would seem to require a simple majority of Senators, or a minimum of 51 if there are no vacancies in the body, to be present on the floor whenever the Senate conducts business. As any observer of the Senate soon notices, typically only a handful of Senators are present during floor debates. It is unusual for as many as 51 Senators to be present on the floor at the same time unless a roll call vote is in progress.

As a regular practice, however, the Senate presumes that it is complying with the Constitution. Therefore, it presumes that a quorum is always present unless and until the absence of a quorum is suggested or demonstrated:

The Senate operates on the presumption that a quorum is present at all times, under all circumstances, unless the question to the contrary is raised, or the absence of a quorum is officially shown, or until a point of no quorum is made even though a voice vote is taken and announced in the meantime.

https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/volume-171/issue-153/senate-section/article/S6713-1

https://www.dailypress.senate.gov/thursday-september-18-2025/