Up or down vote facts for kids
An up or down vote is a direct vote in the US House of Representatives or the US Senate on a proposed law or a change to a law. It means members vote simply "yes" or "no" on the main idea. They don't vote on tricky ways to delay or change the vote. The number of "yes" votes needed to pass something can be different. Sometimes it's a simple majority (more than half), and sometimes it's a larger number, like two-thirds of the votes.
This phrase is often used by people who are annoyed when others try to stop a bill from being voted on. The rules in the House and Senate allow different ways to delay a bill. For example, a bill can be put aside, sent back for changes, or changed in other ways. When someone asks for an "up or down vote," they want the bill to be voted on directly, without any more delays or tricks. They want it to reach the main floor for a final decision.
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Why Up or Down Votes Matter
Stopping Delays in Congress
In 2005, many Republicans in the United States often talked about "up or down votes." At that time, they had 55 seats in the United States Senate. However, they needed 60 votes to stop a special tactic called a filibuster. A filibuster is when a group of senators tries to delay or block a vote on a bill or appointment. The Democratic senators were united and could use the filibuster to stop bills they didn't like. If the Republicans could get a matter to an "up or down vote," they would have enough votes to pass it, as long as all their members agreed.
Many websites and groups that supported Republicans asked people to tell their senators and representatives to demand "up or down votes" on different issues. However, the Constitution does not force the Senate to give every matter an "up or down vote." The Senate has its own rules for how votes happen.
Filibusters and Voting Rules
After taking control of the Senate in 2006, Democrats said that Republicans were using the filibuster on almost every new idea. This meant that 60 votes were needed to pass any new law. Important laws like the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act needed this higher number of votes. Republicans actually set a record for the most filibusters during the 111th Congress.
From 2014 to 2020, the need for the filibuster was less important. This was because Republicans controlled the Senate during the end of the Obama administration and during President Trump's time in office. When one party controls enough seats, they can often pass laws without needing to worry about filibusters from the other party.
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