Political vocabulary & government processes · Article 12 of 20 · United States
Cloture
The procedure for limiting Senate debate.
What the term means
Cloture is the Senate’s formal process for bringing debate toward a close. For most legislation, invoking cloture ordinarily requires three-fifths of senators duly chosen and sworn, usually 60 when there are 100 senators.
How it works in practice
Cloture is not final passage. After debate is limited, additional steps may remain before a vote on the measure. Special rules and precedents govern some categories of business.
A concrete example
A news report saying cloture failed does not mean senators voted down the underlying policy on its merits.
What to examine next
Check which motion was voted on and the threshold applicable to that vote.
Next: Appropriation.