Cloture

Cloture, or closure, in parliamentary procedure, closing of debate to ensure an immediate vote on a measure before the legislative body. In most parliamentary bodies, members cannot debate a cloture motion, but the motion must receive more than a majority vote. The main purpose of cloture is to check the filibuster, endless debate by a minority of the members to keep a motion from being voted upon. In the U.S. Senate a 60% majority is needed to invoke cloture.