The consent of all of those Members present, ordinarily presumed to exist in the absence of objection.
Usual way of conducting business in the Senate. After the morning hour, the Majority Leader asks unanimous consent to consider pending legislation. The practice is used in lieu of a vote on non-controversial measures.
The consent (permission) of all those Members present, absent any objection, debate, or vote (i.e., unanimous consent was granted to suspend the four-day File notice requirement to hear a bill in committee).
Unanimous support, indicated by no objection, for a proposal, a request, or for the question of final passage.
A request to suspend the rules for a specific purpose.
Request granted by a legislative body with no dissentions or objections.
When all Members on the floor agree, or consent, to a pending request. Unless there is an objection, no vote is required.
The consent of all Members present, required when the House wishes to set aside its rules or usual practices without notice.
A Senator may request unanimous consent on the floor to set aside a specified rule of procedure so as to expedite proceedings. If no Senator objects, the Senate permits the action, but if any one Senator objects, the request is rejected. Unanimous consent requests with only immediate effects are routinely granted, but ones affecting the floor schedule, the conditions of considering a bill or other business, or the rights of other Senators, are normally not offered, or a floor leader will object to it, until all Senators concerned have had an opportunity to inform the leaders that they find it acceptable.
A time-saving procedure for non-controversial measures whereby measures are adopted without a vote. A member simply says "I ask unanimous consent for ..." and states the proposal.
The consent of all those members present, without objection.
A vote, by voice, expressing adoption of a question without dissent or objection.
A process for approving non-controversial bills without serious debate. Used to expedite floor action and frequently is used in a routine fashion, such as when a Senator requests the unanimous consent of the Senate to have a specified member of his staff present on the floor during debate on a specific amendment.
A procedure for adopting noncontroversial measures without a vote.
Almost any rule in the House or Senate can be overlooked by unanimous consent. The Senate relies on unanimous consent agreements to define legislative ground rules for particular measures, which protects the rights of the minority party and forces members to work with one another. The House uses unanimous consent agreements relatively sparingly – usually to adopt a non-controversial measure – and legislative ground rules are set by majority, often party-line, votes.
This occurs when no member objects to suspension of the rules so that action may take place which is otherwise prohibited.
The procedure by which action is taken without a vote, also referred to as an action “under the gavel,” or “under the hammer.” Distinguished from a "DIVISION," or a "ROLL CALL VOTE," each of which results in a vote count.
Unanimous consent, in parliamentary procedure, refers to situations in which a motion can pass if no one present objects. The chair may state, for instance: "If there is no objection, the motion will be adopted. [pause] Since there is no objection, the motion is adopted." On the most routine matters, such as inserting an article into the Congressional Record, the chair may shorten this statement to four words: "Without objection, so ordered" or even to two words: "Without objection."
