The floor debate is an opportunity for members of a legislative body to discuss the merits of a bill and to persuade their colleagues to vote for or against it.

In most legislative bodies, all members are allowed to participate in the floor debate, regardless of their position on the bill or their committee assignments.

The floor debate typically begins with the sponsor of the bill presenting their case, followed by members taking turns speaking in favor of or against the bill. Amendments to the bill may also be proposed and debated during the floor debate.

An amendment is a proposal to change the text of a bill. Amendments can be proposed by any member of the legislative body during the floor debate.

In most legislative bodies, amendments to a bill are voted on by a simple majority of the members present.

A cloture vote is a vote to end debate on a bill. Cloture votes are typically used to prevent a bill from being filibustered, or debated indefinitely.

The procedure for voting on a bill in a legislative body can vary depending on the rules of the body. Voting can be done by a voice vote, a roll call vote, or a secret ballot vote.

A roll call vote is a vote in which the name of each member is called and the member votes aloud. Roll call votes are used to ensure that all members are present, to record the vote of each member, and to prevent members from voting anonymously.

The procedure for passing a bill in a legislative body can vary depending on the rules of the body. In some bodies, a simple majority of the members present is required to pass a bill, while in others a two-thirds majority or even a unanimous vote is required.

A conference committee is a temporary committee formed to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of a bill. The committee is composed of members from both chambers, and it meets to negotiate a compromise version of the bill that can be passed by both chambers.

A conference report is typically subject to debate and amendment in both chambers of a legislative body. After the report has been debated and amended, it is voted on by a simple majority of the members present in both chambers.

A veto override vote is a vote to override a veto of a bill by the president, governor, or a court. In order to override a veto, a two-thirds majority of the members of each chamber of the legislative body must vote to override the veto.

A veto override vote is typically voted on by a two-thirds majority of the members present in each chamber of the legislative body.

A pocket veto is a type of veto that is used by the president to prevent a bill from becoming law without the president's signature. A pocket veto occurs when the president does not sign a bill within ten days of receiving it, and Congress is not in session during that time.

A line-item veto is a type of veto that allows the president to veto specific provisions of a bill while allowing the rest of the bill to become law. Line-item vetoes are only available in a few states.