The Senate is preparing for a vote-a-rama this week. As funny as it sounds, the trick has been used several times throughout history. Here’s how it works: the Senate holds flurries of votes on budget resolutions. The entire debate over these resolutions is limited to 20 hours, and they can’t be filibustered. Therefore, the only way to change them is to offer amendments. After the amendment is offered, each side is allowed to debate for 30 seconds, followed by a 10 minute vote. After the amendment has been voted on, they quickly move on to the next until all amendments have been discussed and voted on.

The entire process can take up to 10 hours to complete. The main reason for these vote-a-ramas is to get things done quickly. Filibusters, holds and other procedural tasks tend to slow down the Senate’s business, so this will allow for quicker resolutions. For more information on this year’s vote-a-rama and details on when it starts, please visit The Atlantic.