vote-a-rama
noun
vote-a-ra·ma
ˌvō-tə-ˈrä-mə 
-ˈra-
plural vote-a-ramas
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
Jessica EstepaPassing 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
Grace SegersExamples of vote-a-rama in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Everything will eventually be assembled in another package, with another vote-a-rama down the road.
—Lisa Mascaro, arkansasonline.com, 22 Feb. 2025
The adoption of the Senate resolution came after an overnight vote-a-rama: a marathon voting session on amendments that are non-binding but aimed at forcing lawmakers from both parties to go on the record about potentially contentious issues.
—Barbara Sprunt, NPR, 21 Feb. 2025
Republicans rebuffed more than two dozen Democratic amendments during the all-night vote-a-rama, a lengthy amendment process that's part of Senate procedure for reconciliation.
—Nick Sobczyk, Axios, 21 Feb. 2025
But until House and Senate Republicans get on the same page, tonight’s vote-a-rama could prove largely fruitless.
—Allison Pecorin, ABC News, 20 Feb. 2025
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Lisa Mascaro, arkansasonline.com, 22 Feb. 2025
The adoption of the Senate resolution came after an overnight vote-a-rama: a marathon voting session on amendments that are non-binding but aimed at forcing lawmakers from both parties to go on the record about potentially contentious issues.
—Barbara Sprunt, NPR, 21 Feb. 2025
Republicans rebuffed more than two dozen Democratic amendments during the all-night vote-a-rama, a lengthy amendment process that's part of Senate procedure for reconciliation.
—Nick Sobczyk, Axios, 21 Feb. 2025
But until House and Senate Republicans get on the same page, tonight’s vote-a-rama could prove largely fruitless.
—Allison Pecorin, ABC News, 20 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Vote-a-rama.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vote-a-rama. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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