Appeal

In both the Senate and House of Representatives, a member may challenge a parliamentary ruling of the presiding officer if he or she believes it violates the chamber's rules. Such a challenge is known as an appeal. A senator appeals to fellow senators to overturn the presiding officer's decision, which can be done by majority vote. In the House, the ruling of the Speaker traditionally has been final, and members are seldom asked to reverse the Speaker's stand. To appeal a ruling is considered an attack on the Speaker. The Senate is more likely to overturn the rulings of its chair, often on political grounds that have little to do with the parliamentary situation.

Biohazard workers rinse off after leaving the Hart Senate Office Building in 2001. The building, two blocks from the Capitol, was closed for cleaning after an anthrax-laden letter was opened in the office of Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle.