Some wonderful language from the legislative world of the US. I have bolded the relevant passage below, but it’s worth reading the whole piece on the labyrnthine machinations of the US Congress on First Read:
During the 20 hours of debate when the bill is on the floor, the senator stands and says, “I’d like to raise a budget point of order” against a section of the bill. If the parliamentarian sustains or agrees with the objection, that section is removed from the bill or amendment. (More on the parliamentarian’s critical role below.) There is no limit to how many objections can be raised.
However, the parliamentarian’s decision can be appealed, with 60 votes. So if the parliamentarian rules against the senator, that senator could ask for a vote to override the decision. If there are 60 votes, the questionable item can stay in the bill. While it may take only 51 votes to pass the final bill, but there may be 60-vote hurdles en route to final passage.
The most well-known point of order is referred to as “the Byrd Rule.” Named after its creator, West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd, the rule generally allows sections of the bill to be struck if they do not have a direct impact on deficit reduction.
Provisions can also be challenged where the impact on spending is “merely incidental.” (Simple question: Would a financially self-sustaining public option or co-op have a “merely incidental” impact on the deficit?)
So popular is the Byrd Rule that it has its own lexicon. If someone thinks he/she can strike a section of the bill, that section is considered “Byrdable.” Once it is struck from the bill, it’s called a “Byrd Dropping.” A bill that has been riddled by the Byrd Rule has gone through a “Byrd Bath.”
(Bonus phrase: The Byrd Bath leaves the bill looking like “Swiss Cheese” for all the holes created within the original legislation.)