CONGRESS FOR VOTERS

Timothy Kaine (D-VA)

S.Amdt. 291

S.Amdt. 291 · Senate amendment

A Democratic amendment with no cosponsors

Changes S.Con.Res. 7 — An original concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2025 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2026 through 2034.

Offered

Offered, and not voted on yet. Most amendments never get a vote: the Senate takes up the bill and moves on without them.

Its path through Congress

  1. Introduced
  2. Pending Consideration

What this amendment would do

Mr. Kaine submitted this amendment to set up a new rule in the Senate. As folks we have elected to office do their jobs, we need to make sure they are held accountable when it comes to keeping our mail service running for everyone.

What It Aims to Change or Add

This amendment adds a new point of order to the bill. To put it in plain English, it makes it out of order in the Senate to consider any bill, joint resolution, motion, amendment, amendment between the Houses, or conference report that does any of the following to the United States Postal Service:

  • Privatizes it

  • Politicizes it

  • Defunds it

How the Rule Can Be Bypassed

If our elected officials want to bypass this rule, it can only be waived or suspended in the Senate by an affirmative vote of three-fifths of the Members, duly chosen and sworn.

Furthermore, if the Chair makes a ruling on a point of order raised under this section, it also takes an affirmative vote of three-fifths of the Members of the Senate, duly chosen and sworn, to sustain an appeal of that ruling.