[Maximum Leader]

From what I understand of Senate rules, there is one additional step required to use "the nuclear option"; once the President of the Senate (Cheney) makes a ruling, the Democrats can challenge it and then the ruling itself is voted on by the full Senate. It needs 50 votes and I imagine that Cheney himself breaks the tie.

So I think before the GOP makes that move, they have to make sure they have 50 GOP senators present and willing to REALLY piss off the Democrats.

[CA Conservative]

Does it requires 50 votes, or a majority of the senators present and voting? And since the Dems would be the ones challenging the ruling, wouldn't they have to come up with a majority, not the Republicans?