<P> Historically, the Quorum was a select group of the Justices of the Peace in each county in early modern Britain . In theory, they were men experienced in law, but many of the Quorum were appointed because of their status . Some legislation required the involvement of a member of the Quorum, (e.g., granting a licence to a badger). In practice, they increasingly were not qualified, as the proportion in the Quorum rose faster than proportion who were called to the bar or practising lawyers . By 1532, an average 45% of Justices of the Peace nationally were of the Quorum . In Somerset, the proportion rose from 52% in 1562 to 93% in 1636 . By then, most of those not on the Quorum were new to the bench . Sometimes Justices of the Peace were removed from the Quorum as a disciplinary measure less drastic than removal from the bench . </P> <P> The large deliberative bodies of the United Nations (the General Assembly and Economic and Social Council, as well as their subsidiary organs) generally require the attendance of one - third of the membership (currently 65 states in the General Assembly and 18 in ECOSOC) to conduct most business, but a majority of members (currently 97 states in the General Assembly and 28 states in ECOSOC) in order to take any substantive decisions . The rules of the United Nations Security Council make no provisions for quorum, but nine votes are in all cases required to pass any substantive measure, effectively meaning that a meeting with fewer than nine members in attendance is pointless . </P> <P> Article I, Section 5, Clause 1 of the United States Constitution provides that "Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members, and a Majority of each shall constitute a Quorum to do Business ..." Therefore, in both the House of Representatives and the Senate a quorum is a simple majority of their respective members . The only exception is that stated in the Twelfth Amendment, which provides that in cases in which no candidate for President of the United States receives a majority in the Electoral College, the election is decided by the House of Representatives, in which case "a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two - thirds of the states," and in cases in which no candidate for Vice President of the United States has been elected, the election is decided by the Senate, in which case "a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two - thirds of the whole number of Senators ." </P> <P> The Senate has the additional ordinary requirement in Rule VI of its Standing Rules that "A quorum shall consist of a majority of the Senators duly chosen and sworn ." </P>

In order for senate or house to vote on a bill how many members must be present