Private: Use of Filibuster on Rise, Says News Source

Senate Republicans are using the filibuster to slow or scuttle legislation "at a record-setting pace," The Associated Press reports.

According to the AP:

Given recent use of the filibuster by minority Republicans and the party's success is snarling the legislative process in this Congress, Democrats say the minority has gone way beyond just protecting interests.

The frequency of filibusters - plus threats to use them - are measured by the number of times the upper chamber votes on cloture. Such votes test the majority's ability to hold together 60 members to break a filibuster.

Last year, the first of the 111th Congress, there were a record 112 cloture votes. In the first two months of 2010, the number already exceeds 40.

That means, with 10 months left to run in the 111th Congress, Republicans have turned to the filibuster or threatened its use as a pace that will more than triple the old record. The 104 th Congress in 1995-96 - when Republicans held a 53-47 majority - required 50 cloture votes.

On March 9 at the National Press Club, ACS will host a panel discussion of experts on the filibuster's effect on judicial confirmations. See here for more on the national filibuster event.

Also, Sen. Tom Harkin recently wrote in a guest post for ACSblog on his effort to reform the filibuster.

Senate Republicans are using the filibuster to slow or scuttle legislation "at a record-setting pace," The Associated Press reports.

According to the AP:

Given recent use of the filibuster by minority Republicans and the party's success is snarling the legislative process in this Congress, Democrats say the minority has gone way beyond just protecting interests.

The frequency of filibusters - plus threats to use them - are measured by the number of times the upper chamber votes on cloture. Such votes test the majority's ability to hold together 60 members to break a filibuster.

Last year, the first of the 111th Congress, there were a record 112 cloture votes. In the first two months of 2010, the number already exceeds 40.

That means, with 10 months left to run in the 111th Congress, Republicans have turned to the filibuster or threatened its use as a pace that will more than triple the old record. The 104 th Congress in 1995-96 - when Republicans held a 53-47 majority - required 50 cloture votes.

On March 9 at the National Press Club, ACS will host a panel discussion of experts on the filibuster's effect on judicial confirmations. See here for more on the national filibuster event.

Also, Sen. Tom Harkin recently wrote in a guest post for ACSblog on his effort to reform the filibuster.

[image via www.phocabulary.com]

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