Unanimous consensus is when all members agree on a decision without voting. In Congress, non-controversial matters can be decided this way, but if someone objects, a vote may be necessary. Unanimous consent saves time for necessary debates and votes on controversial issues. However, it only applies to members present, and if someone opposes an action, it cannot be passed unanimously.
Unanimous consensus is an agreement by all members present on everything that requires a yes or no decision. If a family agrees to have pizza for dinner, this can be considered unanimous. If someone objects to pizza, however, unanimous agreement is not reached and the decision may have to come down to a vote or parental discretion. In Congress, unanimous consent is a way to decide issues quickly without voting. Matters where unanimous agreement can easily be obtained are non-controversial.
For example, if Congress wants to introduce an issue and no one opposes it, this move can be considered unanimous. Alternatively, Congress could decide to ask Democrats and Republicans to take turns debating an issue. While the matter itself may not be unanimously agreed upon, the procedure for arguing the matter could be.
Sometimes, all members present in Congress pass bills or confirmation hearings without objection. When most of Congress knows something will pass with unanimous consent, there’s no good reason to vote. Typically, a statement first requires raising objections. If no objections are raised, there is no need to vote, so any decisions to be made are unanimous.
Unanimous consent in Congress saves time for necessary debates and votes on issues likely to stir controversy. It helps that a bipartisan Congress can agree on certain things to get the real debates going.
If a member of Congress opposes an action, it cannot be passed unanimously. So, for example, decisions such as confirmations of Supreme Court justices or amendments to the Constitution are unlikely to be made without a vote.
In rare situations, such as after the September 11, 2001 attack in the United States, Congress unanimously took several measures because there was great support for the president and his party. Several months after 9/11, however, party divisions began to reassert themselves and issues again became more likely to be voted on.
A further distinction needs to be made in the unanimous consensus of Congress. It can only refer to members of Congress who are present. A person who objects to something but isn’t there to object essentially has no vote, and is not factored into the decision.
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