U.S. Senate, what the hell?

>”A quorum is present,” announced the presiding officer in the Senate on December 4, 1980. >“Vote,” moved [Robert C. Byrd](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Robert_Byrd_official_portrait.jpg). >”The question,” announced the presiding officer, “is on agreeing to the motion to lay on the table the motion to reconsider the vote by which the motion to lay on the table the motion to proceed to the consideration of the fair housing bill was rejected. On this question, the yeas and nays have been ordered, and the clerk will call the roll.” >The legislative clerk called the roll and announced the result: Yeas, 61, nays, 31. >So, according to the *Congressional Record*, “the motion to lay on the table the motion to reconsider the vote by which the motion to lay on the table the motion to proceed to the consideration of the fair housing bill (H.R. 5200) was rejected was agreed to. ________________________________________ **Source:** Boller, Paul F. “On the Floor.” *Congressional Anecdotes*. New York: Oxford UP, 1991. 222. Print. **Original Source Listed:** Dec. 4, 1980, *Congressional Record*, 96th Congress, 2nd Sess., 32339. _____________________________________ **Further Reading:** [Cornelius Calvin Sale, Jr. / Robert Carlyle "Bob" Byrd](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Byrd)