Senate without order
"Without Order" is a phrase often used in the United States Senate to indicate that a senator is speaking without being recognized by the presiding officer, which is typically the Vice President of the United States or a designated senator.
When a senator says "without order," it means that they are interrupting the normal flow of business and are speaking out of turn. This can happen when a senator has a pressing concern or wants to make a statement on a particular issue.
In the Senate, there are rules governing the order of speeches and debates. Senators are typically recognized by the presiding officer in the order in which they requested to speak. However, when a senator says "without order," they are essentially saying that they want to interrupt this normal order and speak immediately.
This phrase is often used in times of great urgency or when a senator wants to make a dramatic statement. It's a way for a senator to cut through the formalities and get their point across quickly.
Here's an example of how it might play out:
Senator Smith: "Mr. President, I rise without order to express my deep concern about the recent events in our country."
In this example, Senator Smith is interrupting the normal flow of business and speaking out of turn. The presiding officer might respond by saying, "The senator from [state] is recognized without order." This allows Senator Smith to make their statement, and then the normal order of business will resume.