pass a bill under the hammer
v. phr.— «Thousands of bills were considered during the legislative session and 466 roll call votes were taken. The vast majority of bills are voted unanimously to either pass or fail out of committee and the House of Representatives usually honors the wishes of the committee with a unanimous vote on the floor that is not recorded. This process is called passing a bill “under the hammer.”» —“Rep. Giles voted 100 percent of time” by Beth Staples in Augusta Village Soup (Maine) May 21, 2008. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
When you had sleepovers as a child, what did you call the makeshift beds you made on the floor? In some places, you call those bedclothes and blankets a pallet. This word comes from an old term for “straw.” And: What’s the story...
If you’re ever near a sundial, step closer and look for a message. Many sundials bear haunting, poetic inscriptions about the brevity of life. Plus, language development in toddlers: why and how little ones pick up the exclamation Uh-oh! And a...