The Senate's Calendar of Business (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Revised April 21, 2017 |
| Report Number |
98-429 |
| Authors |
Elizabeth Rybicki, Coordinator Specialist on Congress and the Legislative Process |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
The Senate’s Calendar of Business lists bills, resolutions, and other items of legislative
business that are eligible for floor consideration. When a Senate committee reports a bill, it
is said to be placed “on the calendar.” It is not in order for the majority leader or any other
Senator to move that the Senate proceed to the consideration of a measure that is not on the
calendar, though the majority leader could ask unanimous consent to do so. A Senate measure that
is not on the calendar either has been referred to a committee and is awaiting committee action, or
it is being “held at the desk” by unanimous consent. Being held at the desk means it is awaiting a
decision to refer it to committee, to place it on the calendar, or to bring it directly to the floor for
consideration by unanimous consent.
The Senate’s other calendar, the Executive Calendar, lists treaties and nominations—which
constitute the Senate’s executive business—that are available for floor action. Both of these
documents are published each day the Senate is in session and distributed to Senators’ personal
offices and to all committee and subcommittee offices. There are no cumulative issues of the
Calendar of Business; each issue documents the status of the Senate’s legislative business as of its
publication. Links to current and past issues of the Calendar of Business are available on the
Legislative Information System website at http://lis.gov/crtext/lists.html#lcal.
The following is a summary of the contents of the Calendar of Business.
