Question

3. What is a procedural vote as used in the Congress? How often can a procedural vote occur in the legislative process?

Answer 1

An up or down vote refers to a direct vote in the US House of Representatives or the US Senate (or indeed in a state senate) on an amendment bill. It is sometimes referred to as a "clean vote." Members vote yea or nay on the matter rather than voting on a related procedural maneuver. A procedura vote taken by the whole Senate on the matter of whether or not to open debate on a bill. This occurs if the entire Senate does not agree to proceed by “unanimous consent.”

Under Rule 22 of the Rules of the Senate (the cloture rule), a bill must travel a long path to Senate consideration prior to final passage. If an item is controversial, oftentimes even consequential, or a Senator wishes to filibuster (extend debate) he may withhold consent. Once a bill is filed, it must sit at the Senate desk where the presiding officer reads the bill. After one day and one hour have passed, the Majority leader can file for cloture on the Motion to Proceed to Consider, which is a measure subject to debate and can be filibustered. In the 113th Congress a compromise on the procedure was reached and now a filibuster can be avoided if 16 Senators comprising the Majority and Minority leaders, seven Senators of the Majority party, and seven Senators of the Minority party consent to open debate on the bill.

In legislative process usage of procedural vote in every debate and this vote is very crucial to survive the issue