Senate floor
Debate hall, Capitol
The Senate floor is the main chamber where senators conduct official business—debating legislation, voting, and making speeches for the record.
Floor proceedings follow formal rules of order.
A bill that reaches the Senate floor has advanced past committee review to full consideration.
The amendment was debated on the Senate floor for hours.
- deskFurniture for writing
- clotureProcedure ending legislative discussion
- C-SPANNetwork televising Congress
- filibusterDelaying tactic through speech
- debateFormal argument on issues
chamber · podium · gallery · quorum · amendment · unanimous consent · minority leader · dais · roll call vote · motion · vote · voice vote · presiding officer · Mr. President · parliamentary procedure · whip · Capitol · speech
- Congresssenator, representative, senators, House, bill
- Senatesenior senator, confirmation hearings, majority leader, minority leader, filibuster
- Ancient RomeRome, Julius Caesar, Caesar, gladiator, gladiators
- impeachmentimpeachment, articles of impeachment, impeachment inquiry, high crimes, misdemeanors
Senate floorcommittee room
Chamber for group deliberations
markup session · committee hearing · cloakroom · back room · hearing room
Senate floorbackroom
Private space for dealings
cloakroom · smoke-filled room · behind closed doors · closed session