Analysis · Floor speech · beta

Richard J. Durbin

Democrat on Cloture Motion 2026-07-14

67 words · 8 sentences · 10 clauses

Statement grade

B–

Average 74 / 100

A score under 50 is red. Choose a measurement to see where it lost points and why; choose it again to clear.

Procedure 52%Claims 48%

This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.

Procedure · 19 wordsI announce that the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr.¹ Fetterman) and the Senator from California (Mr. Padilla) are necessarily absent.Procedure Claims · 10 wordsThe yeas and nays resulted--yeas 50, nays 46, ²as follows: Procedure · 16 wordsThe PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Banks). On this vote, the yeas are 50, the nays are 46.Procedure Claims · 22 wordsThree-fifths of the Senators duly chosen and sworn not having voted in the affirmative, the motion is rejected.³ The motion was rejected.

At a glance

Lost points for

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 47

6 of 6 deductions are Signal

Signal checks whether every part makes a point, gives a reason, or asks for action. A low score means the speaker filled time with fluff, pleasantries, or attacks.

Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “I announce that the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “Fetterman) and the Senator from California (Mr.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “Padilla) are necessarily absent.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “Banks).”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “On this vote, the yeas are 50, the nays are 46.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · no score

Not applicable: nothing to answer. Excluded from the average.

Relevance checks whether the speaker stays on topic and answers the question asked. A low score means the speaker dodged the issue.

Respect · no score

Not checked: graded before this measurement existed. Excluded from the average.

Respect checks whether the speaker argued with people’s positions and records rather than attacking the people: insults, mockery, or bad motives assigned to them. Criticism of what someone did, however strong, is not marked.

Clarity · 100

0 of 6 deductions are Clarity

Clarity checks for plain speaking, clear ownership of actions, and honest limits on certainty. A low score means vague promises or evasive language.

Nothing lost points.

Claims · 3

This list shows the factual statements you can check for yourself: the words as said, and the claim restated to stand on its own.

1“I announce that the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr.”Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Senator Alex Padilla of California were necessarily absent from the Senate vote on the July 14, 2026 cloture motion.search
2“yeas 50, nays 46”The cloture motion voted on in the Senate on July 14, 2026 received 50 yeas and 46 nays.search
3“Three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen and sworn not having voted in the affirmative, the motion is rejected”The cloture motion failed in the Senate on July 14, 2026 because it did not receive the three-fifths majority required.search

Analyzed on 2026-09-15