S.Res. 501: A resolution amending the Rules of Procedure and Practice in the Senate When Sitting on Impeachment Trials to ensure adequate access to witnesses and documents in impeachment trials of a President or Vice President, and for other purposes.

S.Res. 501: A resolution amending the Rules of Procedure and Practice in the Senate When Sitting on Impeachment Trials to ensure adequate access to witnesses and documents in impeachment trials of a President or Vice President, and for other purposes.

116th Congress · introduced 2020-02-13 · Congress · Latest: Referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. (text: CR S1079)

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-02-13 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. (text: CR S1079) Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

A resolution amending the Rules of Procedure and Practice in the Senate When Sitting on Impeachment Trials to ensure adequate access to witnesses and documents in impeachment trials of a President or Vice President, and for other purposes.

Plain summary

This resolution revises Senate procedures for impeachment trials, including to establish a process for obtaining testimony from witnesses and relevant documents in an impeachment trial of the President or the Vice President; make it out of order to consider a resolution or motion that would modify, supersede, waive, or be inconsistent with specified impeachment trial rules; and require the Presiding Officer to rule on any assertion of privilege or immunity in connection with the production of evidence in an impeachment trial of the President or the Vice President.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

A Yea supports adopting this resolution.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

A resolution amending the Rules of Procedure and Practice in the Senate When Sitting on Impeachment Trials to ensure adequate access to witnesses and documents in impeachment trials of a President or Vice President, and for other purposes.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] reported raising $5.4 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Resolution: A formal statement or decision by a legislative body. Simple resolutions often only express an opinion or set rules for one chamber; they do not become law.
Roll-call vote: A vote where each member's position is recorded by name, so the public can see how every member voted. "Yea" means yes, "Nay" means no, "Present" means the member was there but did not take a side.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116sres501.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/sres>

Record fed-us-cong116-sres501 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116