C-SPAN Congressional Glossary

TermDefinitionUsed In
Cloture Cloture is the formal procedure used to end a filibuster. It can take up to three days and requires 60 votes.

Cloture can also be used even if there is no filibuster underway, to ban non-germane amendments.

If cloture wins, 30 additional hours of debate are allowed prior to voting, but they are rarely used.

If cloture fails, debate would continue without limits. Instead, the bill is usually set aside.

Senate



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