Washington DC – A range of observers this week, including Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM), continued to highlight the need for Senate rules reform, in order to raise the costs of obstruction and in order to improve the basic functioning of government.
Quotes of the Week
On Wednesday, Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) bemoaned the slow pace of deliberation in the Senate, and noted that a way to remedy the obstruction is to consider “changing the rules”. Later that day, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) hinted at re-visiting rules reform on the Senate floor after Senator Jim Moran (R-KS) threatened to filibuster the stopgap bill in progress of passage.
Washington DC – Senate rules reform remained a hot topic this week, spurred by continued attention to the rare sight of Senator Rand Paul’s “talking filibuster” and a gathering array of voices calling on Democrats to re-open Senate rules reform in light of continued Republican threats of filibuster on other nominees.
Washington DC – The issue of filibuster reform re-emerged into the spotlight this week, in large part because of two contrasting filibusters deployed on Wednesday.
Washington, DC – The unprecedented Republican filibuster of Secretary of Defense nominee Chuck Hagel highlights why the U.S. Senate still needs to enact more substantial rules reform, the Fix the Senate Now coalition said today.
Washington, DC – The news that Senate Republicans are planning to filibuster the nomination of Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense highlights the missed opportunity for enacting more substantial Senate rules reform at the start of this 113th Congress, said the Communications Workers of America.
The following is a quote from George Kohl, Senior Director at CWA:
Washington, DC – Yesterday, the Fix the Senate Now coalition reacted to the agreement between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), calling it “a missed opportunity to provide meaningful filibuster reform, while advancing some decent procedural improvements,” and offering hope that the “Senate proves our overall skepticism wrong and that the new agreeme
Washington, DC – Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) are close to finalizing a deal on Senate rules reform. Unfortunately, the incremental “reforms” in the agreement do not go nearly far enough to deliver meaningful change, the Fix the Senate Now coalition said today. If the agreement proceeds as expected, Senator Reid and the entire chamber will have missed an opportunity to restore accountability and deliberation to the Senate, while not raising the costs of obstruction.
Washington, DC – While bi-partisan agreement on reforming Senate rules is a laudable goal, the substantial package of reforms needed to end the gridlock that has nearly paralyzed the U.S. Senate should not be weakened simply to provide a bi-partisan imprimatur, the Fix the Senate Now coalition said Wednesday.
Washington, DC – Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is reported to be working to advance a substantive package of Senate rules reforms this week and is prepared to use the constitutional option to enact reform, if necessary.