Clay pigeon floor procedure
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The clay pigeon floor procedure is a rare maneuver employed to gain political leverage in the United States Senate. The name comes by analogy with the clay target which shatters when hit in
skeet shooting Skeet shooting is a recreational and competitive activity where participants use shotguns to attempt to break clay targets which two fixed stations mechanically fling into the air at high speed and at a variety of angles. Skeet is one of the t ...
. In the procedure, an amendment comprising multiple proposals is shattered by demand of a single Senator into individual components to be discussed separately. By pre-agreement, a vote to limit total debate on the amendment is taken. Requiring a supermajority of 60 votes to abbreviate debate, all components are due for vote at the end of the allotted time.


Instances

Two distinct goals have been recognized in the history of the procedure. Because individual features of an amendment are exposed to public airing, the process may coerce greater accountability. By contrast, in its most recent engagement, the Democratic majority used the tactic to curtail debate on immigration reform, thereby containing opposition. * June 2007, Harry Reid (D), Nevada * April 2006, Tom Coburn (R), Oklahoma * circa 1970, James Allen (D), Alabama


References

Terminology of the United States Senate {{US-Congress-stub