On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed

On January 10, 2019, the Senate held a procedural vote to decide whether to begin formal debate on a legislative measure. Although a majority of senators (53) voted in favor, the motion failed because it did not reach the 60-vote threshold required to overcome a filibuster and end debate (cloture).

The vote followed sharp party lines, with nearly all Republicans voting to move forward and the vast majority of Democrats voting to block the measure. Because the motion was rejected, the Senate was unable to proceed to a final vote on the matter at that time.