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An up or down vote refers to a direct vote in the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate on an amendment or bill; it is sometimes referred to as a "clean vote". Members simply vote yea or nay on it. Depending upon the rules of order for that particular type of amendment or bill, the vote required for passage might be a 2/3 majority, an 3/5 majority, or a simple majority.

The phrase is probably most often used by those who are frustrated by opponents in the House or Senate who delay a bill indefinitely by means of various tactics. The rules of the House and Senate allow a bill to be delayed — including "delayed permanently" — by various means, such as to table the bill, to recommit it, or to amend it in the second degree. By appealing for an "up or down vote", an advocate of the bill is trying to get it out of committee and past all other legislative hurdles, and to a floor vote.

As of 2005, the phrase is heard most often from Republicans in the United States, who currently occupy 55 seats in the United States Senate, and thus lack the 60 votes required to overcome a filibuster maneuver by the Democratic Senators. Because of this, a united Democrat bloc is able to filibuster any objectionable bill, Presidential appointment, or other matter before the Senate, and prevent passage. If the Republicans were able to bring any particular matter to an "up or down vote", they would be able to approve that measure if voting as a bloc.

To this end, many Republican-affiliated websites and political action committees have recently urged voters to demand of their Senators and Representatives an "up or down vote" on various issues. Constitutionally, however, the Senate is not obliged to give any matter an up or down vote.

Reference

- CSPAN definition

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