NOT NORMAL -- Democrats need to shut down the Senate. Everything. Block / delay every damn thing.

[MichMan]

41. 51, but less is OK unless someone objects

The Constitution states that “a Majority of each [House] shall constitute a quorum to do
business.” The Senate presumes that it is complying with this requirement and that a quorum is
always present unless and until the absence of a quorum is suggested or demonstrated. This
presumption allows the Senate to conduct its business on the floor with fewer than 51 Senators
present until a Senator “suggests the absence of a quorum.”

Except when the Senate has invoked cloture, the presiding officer may not count to determine if a
quorum is present. When the absence of a quorum is suggested, therefore, the presiding officer
directs the Clerk to call the roll. The Senate cannot resume its business until a majority of
Senators respond to the quorum call or unless, by unanimous consent, “further proceedings under
the quorum call are dispensed with” before the last Senator’s name has been called. If a quorum
fails to respond, the Senate may adjourn or take steps necessary to secure the attendance of
enough Senators to constitute a quorum. It usually takes the latter course by agreeing to a motion
that instructs the Sergeant at Arms to request the attendance of absent Senators.

More often than not, however, quorum calls are unrelated to attendance on the floor. Senators
“suggest the absence of a quorum” to suspend the Senate’s formal floor proceedings temporarily.
There are many purposes for such quorum calls. For example, they can be used to permit informal
discussions that are intended to resolve a policy disagreement or procedural problem, or to allow
a Senator to reach the floor in order to make a speech or begin consideration of a bill. When a
quorum call is provoked for such a purpose, it is usually ended by unanimous consent before the
call of the roll has been completed.



https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/96-452