[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 431 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 431

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives in disapproval of 
                  the Senate's modern filibuster rule.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 18, 2015

Mr. Griffith (for himself, Mr. Wittman, Mr. Flores, Mr. Goodlatte, Mr. 
 Culberson, Mr. Westerman, Mr. Abraham, and Mr. Burgess) submitted the 
   following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives in disapproval of 
                  the Senate's modern filibuster rule.

Whereas the Founding Fathers never intended for a significant portion of the 
        Senate's business to be able to be blocked by a minority;
Whereas the modern filibuster/cloture rule undermines the noble principles upon 
        which this Nation was founded;
Whereas the historic filibuster rule required 60 votes to stop debate if a 
        Senator was standing in the well of the Senate debating a bill;
Whereas in the 1970s the rule was changed to allow Senators to place an 
        anonymous hold by making a request to the Senate Majority Leader to 
        simply announce their intention to filibuster;
Whereas today a Senator no longer has to be present to filibuster a bill on the 
        Senate floor, meaning it requires a supermajority to begin debate rather 
        than to end debate;
Whereas the Senate's rule XXII, known as the cloture rule, requires 16 Senators 
        to initiate the process to end debate by introducing a motion;
Whereas once the cloture motion is made, it requires the votes of at least 
        three-fifths of all Senators (normally 60 votes), or a supermajority, to 
        invoke cloture;
Whereas the Republic of these United States based on democratic principles 
        cannot long survive if the vast majority of issue legislation requires a 
        supermajority in order to advance;
Whereas both Democrats and Republicans have used the modern filibuster/cloture 
        rule to stall legislative policy that a majority might otherwise 
        support;
Whereas the current Senate modern filibuster/cloture rule has been a major 
        reason for the gridlock in recent years;
Whereas nearly all Senate business as a result of the modern Senate filibuster/
        cloture rule requires 60 votes to process, a high hurdle that runs 
        counter to the intent of our Nation's Founding Fathers;
Whereas the House of Representatives passes legislation that the Senate may not 
        agree with completely, but as a result of the modern Senate filibuster/
        cloture rule, the Senate is essentially limited from making a 
        legislative counteroffer to the House;
Whereas eliminating the modern filibuster/cloture rule will allow more 
        legislation passed by the House to be voted on in the Senate and, thus, 
        more compromises can be reached;
Whereas the historical filibuster rule is a better way for a Democratic-
        Republican form of government to function; and
Whereas the historical filibuster rule is how the process is intended to work, 
        and it is essential to building the consensus and compromise expected of 
        its leaders by the American people: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses its firm disapproval of the Senate's modern 
        filibuster rule;
            (2) urges the Senate to abandon the modern filibuster rule 
        and return to the historical filibuster rule, thereby ending 
        the process of anonymous holds; and
            (3) reaffirms its commitment to work with the Senate to end 
        gridlock and pass legislation through regular order, including 
        resolving legislative differences via conference committee, to 
        complete the work that the American people expect from its 
        Congress.
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