[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 79 (Thursday, June 6, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S3971]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         UPHOLDING A COMMITMENT

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I have said repeatedly--and I will say 
again today--the Senate needs to know whether the majority leader 
intends to uphold a commitment he has now twice made, and this 
commitment was that he would not break the rules of the Senate to 
change the rules.
  Specifically, both at the beginning of the last Congress and at the 
beginning of this Congress, he committed to the Senate and to the 
American people that he would not use what is referred to as the 
``nuclear option.'' These were very clear commitments. They were not 
contingent commitments or commitments made with caveats. They were not 
contingent commitments or commitments made with caveats.
  Here we have the exact words of the majority leader on this chart. At 
the beginning of the previous Congress, on January 27, 2011, the 
majority leader said:

       I agree that the proper way to change Senate rules is 
     through the procedures established in those rules, and I will 
     oppose any effort in this Congress or the next--

and listen to this, I say to the Presiding Officer and my colleagues--

     or the next--

or the next, meaning the Congress we are in now--

     to change the Senate's rules other than through the regular 
     order.

  No contingencies, no caveats, no saying unless I decide I don't like 
certain behavior.
  In this Congress there was an exchange between myself and the 
majority leader. Here is what I said on January 24 of 2013, this year:

       Finally, I would confirm with the majority leader that the 
     Senate would not consider other resolutions relating to any 
     standing order or rules this Congress unless they went 
     through the regular order process?

  At the beginning of this session, we passed a couple of rules 
changes, a couple of standing orders. We made some changes and we made 
those changes in return for the majority leader's commitment, which 
follows. The majority leader said:

       That is correct. Any other resolutions related to Senate 
     procedure would be subject to a regular order process 
     including consideration by the Rules Committee.

  In other words, an unequivocal, noncontingent commitment, so that 
everyone knew the rules of the Senate for the entire Congress. There 
was no sort of hanging a sword of Damocles over our heads and saying, 
if Members don't behave as I wish, I will break my word. Now the 
suggestion apparently is, Members have to behave in a certain way to 
satisfy me or my word doesn't mean anything.
  This is a serious matter. We are only one-half of 1 year through a 2-
year Congress, and the Senate and the American people deserve to know 
whether the word of the majority leader will be kept.

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