vote-a-rama

noun

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vote-a-ra·ma | \ ˌvō-tə-ˈrä-mə

, -ˈra- \

plural vote-a-ramas

Definition of vote-a-rama

U.S. government

: an unusually large number of debates and votes that happen in one day on a single piece of legislation to which an unlimited number of amendments can be introduced, debated, and voted on The Senate defines it as 15 or more votes that happen on a piece of legislation in a single day (while vote-a-ramas are often done on budget resolutions, they can be about any piece of legislation, like the health care bill). After the allotted time of debate on a bill expires, any senator can introduce an unlimited number of amendments to a piece of legislation. They then vote on the amendments, marathon-style. This can go on for hours.— Jessica Estepa Passing a budget resolution is part of a process known as reconciliation, which allows legislation to pass in the Senate with only a simple majority instead of the typical 60-vote threshold, meaning Democrats would be able to green-light it without any Republican votes. But Republicans forced Democrats to go on the record with a series of votes on a slew of amendments in the politically painful "vote-a-rama."— Grace Segers