Dividing the question The President may divide a complicated
question. A question is divided only if the parts of the
question are capable of a distinct decision by the Senate. This
may be done where preliminary words in a motion have to be
understood as preceding each part of the motion, or where a
subject is taken to replace a pronoun. In practice, the chair
divides a question which is capable of being divided at the
request of any senator, so that no senator is compelled to vote
for or against two or more proposals in relation to which they
may wish to vote differently. This procedure is particularly
used where, by a previous decision, distinct questions, such as
questions for the passage of different bills, have been
combined. If a senator moves an amendment to one question which
has been combined with another question, the amendment and the
distinct questions are put separately. The chair may decline to
divide a question if the request is not made for the purpose of
protecting the right of a senator to v