Unanimous consent agreements are motions that the Senate or House of Representatives adopts as long as no member objects to them. Many unanimous consent requests deal with routine business, such as “Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to dispense with the reading of the journal” or “Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks in the Congressional Record.” To these requests the presiding officer will respond: “Without objection, so ordered.”
The Senate also uses unanimous consent agreements, which are worked out in advance by the majority and minority leaders and managers of a bill, to set the details of how it will consider a bill, how long it will debate each amendment, whether all amendments must be germane (relevant) to the bill's subject matter, and when the final vote will be taken. Sometimes whole bills are adopted by unanimous consent, if members are able to agree in advance to all of the bill's provisions. Unanimous consent agreements help the leadership move noncontroversial matters quickly through the Senate. However, a single senator's objection can stop a unanimous consent agreement, giving the minority another chance to stop or delay the majority from acting. The House generally uses special rules to achieve the same results as unanimous consent agreements.
See also Rules of the House and Senate
