This vote was to approve House Joint Resolution 89 (H.J.Res. 89). Joint resolutions are formal legislative measures that, like bills, require approval by both the House and Senate and the President's signature to become law. They are frequently used for specific policy changes or to overturn federal agency rules. In the Senate, this type of vote typically requires a simple majority of the senators present to pass. In this instance, because 95 senators voted, 48 votes were needed for approval. The measure passed with 49 votes, just one more than the minimum required threshold. The outcome was unusual because it did not follow standard party lines. Both the Democratic and Republican caucuses were split nearly down the middle, with significant numbers of members from both parties voting both for and against the resolution. Having passed the Senate, the resolution moves toward the final steps of the legislative process.