A) The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the “Vote-a-Rama” in the Senate on budget reconciliation/COVID Relief

B) The Senate is barreling toward an annual, Congressional folkway known on Capitol Hill as the “vote-a-rama.” This is where senators vote, around the clock, on one amendment after another, related to the annual budget resolution.

C) Senate Democrats crafted a budget measure this year for the exclusive purpose of using a special procedure to pass the upcoming COVID bill: budget reconciliation. That process allows the Senate to pass the underlying bill with a simple majority and sidestep filibusters.

D) The process which will unfold over the next couple of days is NOT the actual coronavirus bill. This is just a shell. Think of the “vote-a-rama” as the second NFL pre-season game. It’s kind of important. But not the real thing.

E) The team is still experimenting with new plays and seeing if that fifth round draft pick from a Division II school can make it at linebacker.

The “season” for the actual coronavirus is at least a couple of weeks away.

F) So, the vote-a-rama bears watching. But it’s still “August” in terms of "football."

Vote-a-ramas often devolve into weapons by both parties to make lawmakers take tough votes. Expect some “gotcha” votes as part of this process to try to embarrass others.

G) A grand total of more than 400 amendments have been filed for this budget process. In 2008, the Senate considered 44 amendments in that vote-a-rama.

One thing to watch for: Something called “The Motion to Waive the Budget Act.”

H) Many amendments are out of order. They don’t pertain directly to the budgetary process, aren’t deficit neutral or deal with policy. Thus, those amendments are out of order. This is because of the “Byrd Rule.”

I) Named after Senate Majority Leader Robert Byrd (D-WV), Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough can rule various amendments out of order in what’s called “The Byrd Bath.”

J) Amendments or provisions which don’t qualify for a budget reconciliation process are discarded, and thus referred to as “Byrd Droppings.”

It may only take 51 amendments to approve the final budget reconciliation.

K) But watch to see how many senators offer an amendment then move to “waive the Budget Act.” This refers to the Budget Act of 1974 which created the contemporary budget process.

L) The Senate may play outside the lines of the Budget Act (such as amendments which run afoul of the Byrd Rule) by waiving the Budget Act. However, that requires 60 votes.

M) So expect a drawn-out process with the vote-a-rama over the next several days. It will be worth scouting some wide receivers and seeing if your team needs a new long snapper. But the REAL season for the coronavirus bill doesn’t start for a couple of weeks.