On the Motion to Table

On February 7, 2019, the Senate voted 66–33 to "table" (effectively kill or set aside) a motion. In congressional procedure, a motion to table is a defensive maneuver used to end debate on a specific proposal or amendment without taking a direct vote on its merits.

Because the motion to table was "agreed to," the underlying proposal was successfully blocked and removed from further consideration.

The vote demonstrated an unusual partisan split: the Democratic caucus voted unanimously (44–0) to table the measure, while the Republican caucus was divided, with 20 members voting to table and 33 voting against. This resulted in a bipartisan majority that prevented the proposal from moving forward.