Before the House can consider a measure on the floor, a rule must be adopted to set parameters on debate. Rules are drafted by the House Rules Committee (which is in effect an arm of the majority party leadership) and usually limit debate, schedule a time for a final vote, and restrict amending activity on a measure. On this vote, Republicans sought passage of a rule governing debate on a $400.5 billion defense authorization bill. Progressives opposed the rule because they objected to provisions in the bill which would: 1) allow Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld greater leeway in hiring, assigning, and giving pay raises to the nearly 700,000 civilian employees and; 2) exempt the Defense Department from the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Republicans voted unanimously in favor of the rule and it passed by a 224-200 margin.