Word: Manager’s Amendment

Meaning: A manager’s amendment is a big amendment containing a number of individual amendments to a piece of legislation offered by the majority or minority Member of Congress managing the debate on the bill. A manager’s amendment is almost always agreed to by both sides in advance.

Used in a sentence: After much political pressure, House Ways and Means Chair David Camp (R-MI) determined that it was best to amend his Medicare physician pay reform legislation to include a .5 percent temporary pay increase in the manager’s amendment that was considered and passed by the committee in December.

What it really means: When legislation actually starts moving in Congress, be in committee or on the House or Senate floor, often many Members of Congress have amendments to offer. Sometimes these amendments are debated and voted on individually because they are substantial, controversial, or there is a political need to do so. Other times, however, there may be a number of amendments that both sides can agree to or that are technical fixes in drafting. In order to keep the process moving and not draw out the debate those amendments will be packaged together and offered as one amendment called a manager’s amendment. Since both sides have agreed to what is in the manager’s amendment, the amendment usually passes by voice vote or unanimous consent. Manager’s amendments are especially, but not exclusively, used for large pieces of legislation. Why is it is called the manager’s amendment? The person offering in the amendment is the majority or minority Member of Congress in charge of the debate on the bill, the “manager” of the bill.