Impeachment investigations of United States federal officials up debate on Vice President Agnew's request. Congressman Paul Findley offered a resolution, H. Res. 569, appointing a Select Committee to investigate the Vice President. The resolution was referred to the Rules Committee, which sat on it while Attorney General Elliot Richardson negotiated a plea bargain with the soon-to-be-disgraced Vice President. Agnew resigned on October 10, 1973; by unanimous consent of the House, the Judiciary Committee was discharged from further investigation under House Resolution 572. In April 2007, United States Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) filed an impeachment resolution () against Vice President Dick Cheney, seeking his trial in the Senate
Vice President of the United States anticipated that the vice president would not always be available to fulfil this responsibility, the Constitution provides that the Senate may elect a President pro tempore (or "president for a time") in order to maintain the proper ordering of the legislative process. In practice, since the early 20th century, the President of the Senate rarely presides, nor does the President pro tempore. He regularly delegates the task to other Senate members. Rule XIX, which governs debate, does not authorize the vice president to participate in debate, and grants only to members of the Senate (and, upon appropriate notice, former presidents