Senate Leadership Agrees Upon Rules Package
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, reached a mutual agreement on a new procedural system for the 112th Senate, earlier today.
The agreement eliminates secret holds, prohibits delay tactics like forcing the reading an amendment that has already been submitted for 72 hours, and exempts about one third of executive nominations from the Senate confirmation process.
Additionally, Sen. Reid agreed to reduce the use of "filling the amendment tree," while Sen. McConnell agreed to limit the number of filibusters. Both party leaders agreed not to seek the Constitutional option to change rules in the 112th or the 113th Congress.
Sen. Chuck Schumer, also a member of the Senate leadership was happy about the agreement even if "we didn't get everything we wanted to." He continued:
As a result of this agreement, there should be more debate, more votes and fewer items blocked by a single senator or a small minority of senators. Make no mistake about it: this agreement is not a panacea, but it is a very significant step on the road to making the Senate function in a better, fairer way. This would not have been possible without the continued insistence on change by Senators Tom Udall, Jeff Merkley and Tom Harkin. Their push to establish the Jimmy Stewart-style filibuster, which would require senators to actually hold the floor if they want to block a bill, is one I hope will be accepted by the other party in the future.
The Fix the Senate Now coalition is disappointed that leadership didn't address the full measure of obstructionist tactics. Senate Resolution 10, proposed by Senators Udall, Merkley and Harkin, would have brought true reform to the Senate rules.
