Deal Reached to Curb Filibusters

The Senate’s senior Democrat and Republican reached agreement Thursday to impose modest limits on the filibuster, the delaying tactic that minority parties have long used to kill legislation.

The deal would reduce but not eliminate the number of times opponents can use filibusters on legislation and would limit the time spent debating some bills and nominations.

The pact does not represent a dramatic reworking of Senate rules and leaves the minority party with far more power than it has in the House, where procedures allow a united majority party to muscle through its priorities.

But it would streamline some of the Senate’s work and avoid what could have been prolonged, nasty battling between the two parties if Democrats, frustrated by the GOP’s growing reliance on the delays, tried ramming through more decisive changes.

This article appeared in print on page 3 of the January 25th, 2013 edition of Hamodia.