cloture

Meaning

1. 1noununcountableformalAmerican

   A rule in a legislature that lets members stop a long debate and vote on the matter, especially in the U.S. Senate.

   Grammar: Often used with invoke or file: the senators invoked cloture.

   Patterns

   • invoke cloture on something
   • a cloture vote

   The Senate leader filed for cloture to end the filibuster.

   Sixty votes were needed to invoke cloture on the bill.

   Debate ended once cloture was approved.

Common combinations

invoke cloture

The majority leader invoked cloture on the budget bill.

file for cloture

Senators filed for cloture after a week of debate.

cloture vote

The cloture vote failed by two votes.

cloture motion

A cloture motion needs support from many senators.

end debate by cloture

They hoped to end debate by cloture before the holiday.

Synonyms and how they differ

closure

Closure is the British parliamentary term for ending debate, while cloture is the American Senate term.

guillotine

A guillotine in the UK Parliament sets a fixed time limit for debate, whereas cloture ends debate by a vote.

gag rule

Gag rule is an informal, critical name for a rule that stops debate, whereas cloture is the neutral procedure.

Opposites

Word family

closure noun

the act of closing, or a rule to end debate

close verb

to shut or end something

enclose verb

to surround or put inside something

clause noun

a part of a legal document; from the same Latin root

Commonly confused: cloture or closure?

Practice

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