Simple resolution - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In the
United States, a
simple resolution is a legislative measure passed by only either the
Senate or the
House. As they have been passed by only one house, simple resolutions are not presented to the President, and do not have the force of law. The resolution is used for matters such as establishing the rules under which each body will operate. This type of resolution is used to act or speak on behalf of only one chamber of congress.
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What is a Simple Resolution? (with pictures)
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-simple-resolution.htm
A simple resolution, also shortened to S. Res., is simply a resolution that does not have the full force of law behind it and therefore is considered a nonbinding position. Simple resolutions can be passed by a legislative body for a number of reasons. They can be used to clear up logistical issues or as political tools.
In most cases, a simple resolution is used to set rules for a governing body. In the U.S. Congress for example, either the Senate or House of Representatives may pass a simple resolution to set a schedule, set up a committee or for some other housekeeping measure that is usually not controversial. When a simple resolution is used in such a manner, it normally receives very little attention from the general public.
In Congress, because simple resolutions represent nonbinding positions of that particular legislative body, they do not require approval from the other house, or approval from the president. If, for example, the Senate takes up a simple resolution passed by the House of Representatives, it is considered its own, independent document, unrelated to the Senate
proposal. This is true even though the wording in both proposals may be identical.
Though a simple resolution normally does not demand much attention from the general public, there are exceptions. For example, Congress made headlines in 1997 when both the House and the Senate passed simple resolutions concerning the Iraq War and a sustained troop build up. Though the issue did not affect U.S. policy, it represented a direct conflict of opinion between the majority of the Congress and the president. Despite this extreme case, most of the time a simple resolution is passed with no fanfare and broad support.
A simple resolution can be used as a political tool in some cases. For example, one party, thinking its members will benefit from a particular vote, may wish to get members of the other party on the record concerning an issue. Usually, the voting on a simple resolution is done by a
roll call vote, forcing congressional members to either vote yes, no, or abstain. In such cases, certain members may then have to go back to their respective districts and defend their votes.