[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 5 (Tuesday, January 19, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H168-H169]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  FILIBUSTER HAS CREATED MINORITY RULE

  (Mr. McDERMOTT asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, tonight I am introducing a resolution 
to urge the Senate to change its filibuster rule.
  The filibuster has in effect created minority rule. It wasn't the 
intent of the framers of the Constitution to allow any one person the 
power to bring the legislative process to a halt, which is exactly what 
the filibuster has given each Senator the ability to do. The framers 
very clearly outlined the five instances when they believed a 
supermajority was needed. The day-to-day business of Congress was not 
one of them. But the use of the filibuster has

[[Page H169]]

become such common practice that it now requires a supermajority in the 
Senate to pass virtually every piece of legislation, no matter how 
mundane. The filibuster has begun to erode the integrity of our 
democratic process.
  My colleague, Senator Tom Harkin from Iowa, who has been a leader on 
this issue since 1995, recently announced he will introduce legislation 
to change the filibuster rule, and I am offering a resolution urging 
the Senate to do the same.
  The filibuster was not intended by the framers of the Constitution, 
and it is certainly not good for the country when we try to solve the 
difficult problems that face us today. The time has come for the Senate 
to change its rules.

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