# The digital TV delay needed 2/3rds majority to pass. Why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 30, 2009, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-digital-tv-delay-needed-2-3rds-majority-to-pass-why/483659 "2009-01-30T01:45:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-digital-tv-delay-needed-2-3rds-majority-to-pass-why/483659/1 "2009-01-30T01:45:08Z")
Just recently the bill to delay the Digital TV switch failed to pass because it didn’t get 2/3rds majority of the votes. I only thought 2/3 was needed to beat a veto, and Obama was pushing for this bill. So why wasn’t a majority enough? ---
**Author:** ![opossum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/2bfe46/32.png) [@opossum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/opossum)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-digital-tv-delay-needed-2-3rds-majority-to-pass-why/483659/2 "2009-01-30T02:00:04Z")
Probably because they brought it to the House floor under Suspension of the Rules. They can avoid a lot of procedural steps and amendments are not allowed, but they require a 2/3 vote to pass. It’s a procedure usually used for uncontroversial legislation (e.g., naming post offices). ---
**Author:** ![ivn1188](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e480ec/32.png) [@ivn1188](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivn1188)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-digital-tv-delay-needed-2-3rds-majority-to-pass-why/483659/3 "2009-01-30T02:20:40Z")
Bringing things under a Suspension of the Rules is also used to allow a bunch of people to vote for something that they don’t actually want to pass.