What does “cloture motion presented” mean?
Cloture is how the Senate ends debate—and, in practice, it is the 60-vote threshold everyone talks about.
Live bills moving through cloture
These examples update from GovOptes congressional records as new Senate actions are ingested.
- S 4784: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 — Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the measure not invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 50 - 46. Record Vote Number: 195.
- HR 6644: 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act — Cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 6644 with an amendment (SA 5823) invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 84 - 8. Record Vote Number: 180.
- SRES 690: An executive resolution authorizing the en bloc consideration in Executive Session of certain nominations on the Executive Calendar. — Cloture on the measure invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 51 - 46. Record Vote Number: 112. (CR S2148-2149)
- S 4344: A bill to extend section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 for 3 years. — Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the measure presented in Senate. (CR S2249)
- HR 7147: Homeland Security and Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026. — Motion by Senator Thune to reconsider the vote by which the fourth cloture on the motion to proceed to the measure was not invoked (Record Vote No. 73) rendered moot in Senate.
- S 1383: Veterans Accessibility Advisory Committee Act of 2025 — Cloture on the motion to suspend the operation of Rule XXV, paragraph (n)(1) to permit the committee on Rules and Administration to consider the pending motion with respect to the House message to accompany S. 1383 not invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 41 - 49. Record Vote Number: 61. (CR S1466)
The short version
Under Senate Rule XXII, cloture is the standard procedure for cutting off debate. Invoking cloture on most legislation requires three-fifths of the full Senate, or 60 votes.
The sequence in a bill’s action history
- Cloture motion presented: at least 16 senators sign a petition and start the clock toward a vote.
- Cloture invoked or rejected: the Senate decides whether to limit debate.
- Post-cloture time: most measures can receive up to 30 additional hours of consideration.
- The underlying vote: final passage generally requires a simple majority.
Why cloture can appear twice
The Senate can require cloture on the motion to proceed and again on the underlying bill: once to begin debate and once to finish it.
Exceptions
Budget reconciliation, presidential nominations, and some fast-track statutes follow different debate limits or thresholds.
Bottom line
When cloture motions appear in a bill’s history, the Senate has moved from discussing the measure in theory to counting votes for real.