Examining the Filibuster Hearings
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S. Hrg. 111–706 EXAMINING THE FILIBUSTER HEARINGS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON RULES AND ADMINISTRATION UNITED STATES SENATE ONE HUNDRED ELEVENTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION April 22, 2010; May 19, 2010; June 23, 2010; July 28, 2010; and September 22 and 29, 2010 ( VerDate Nov 24 2008 14:23 Dec 03, 2010 Jkt 062210 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6011 Sfmt 6011 C:\DOCS\62210.TXT SHAUN PsN: DPROCT EXAMINING THE FILIBUSTER VerDate Nov 24 2008 14:23 Dec 03, 2010 Jkt 062210 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6019 Sfmt 6019 C:\DOCS\62210.TXT SHAUN PsN: DPROCT S. HRG. 111–706 EXAMINING THE FILIBUSTER HEARINGS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON RULES AND ADMINISTRATION UNITED STATES SENATE ONE HUNDRED ELEVENTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION APRIL 22, 2010; MAY 19, 2010; JUNE 23, 2010; JULY 28, 2010; AND SEPTEMBER 22 AND 29, 2010 Printed for the use of the Committee on Rules and Administration ( Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.fdsys.gov U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 62–210 WASHINGTON : 2010 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, http://bookstore.gpo.gov. For more information, contact the GPO Customer Contact Center, U.S. Government Printing Office. Phone 202–512–1800, or 866–512–1800 (toll-free). E-mail, [email protected]. VerDate Nov 24 2008 14:23 Dec 03, 2010 Jkt 062210 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 5011 Sfmt 5011 C:\DOCS\62210.TXT SHAUN PsN: DPROCT COMMITTEE ON RULES AND ADMINISTRATION * CHARLES E. SCHUMER, New York, Chairman DANIEL K. INOUYE, Hawaii ROBERT F. BENNETT, Utah CHRISTOPHER J. DODD, Connecticut MITCH MCCONNELL, Kentucky DIANNE FEINSTEIN, California THAD COCHRAN, Mississippi RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, Texas BEN NELSON, Nebraska SAXBY CHAMBLISS, Georgia PATTY MURRAY, Washington LAMAR ALEXANDER, Tennessee MARK L. PRYOR, Arkansas JOHN ENSIGN, Nevada TOM UDALL, New Mexico PAT ROBERTS, Kansas MARK R. WARNER, Virginia JOE MANCHIN III, West Virginia JEAN PARVIN BORDEWICH, Staff Director MARY SUIT JONES, Republican Staff Director JENNIFER GRIFFITH, Deputy Staff Director JASON A. ABEL, Chief Counsel ADAM D. AMBROGI, Administrative and Legislative Counsel VERONICA GILLESPIE, Elections Counsel CAROLE BLESSINGTON, Administrative Assistant to the Staff Director SONIA GILL, Counsel JULIA RICHARDSON, Counsel JOSH BREKENFELD, Professional Staff LAURYN BRUCK, Professional Staff SHAUN PARKIN, Republican Deputy Staff Director PAUL VINOVICH, Republican Chief Counsel MICHAEL MERRELL, Republican Elections Counsel ABBIE PLATT, Republican Professional Staff TRISH KENT, Republican Professional Staff RACHEL CREVISTON, Republican Professional Staff LYNDEN ARMSTRONG, Chief Clerk MATTHEW MCGOWAN, Professional Staff * Senator Robert C. Byrd, West Virginia, was a member of the Committee during the 111th Congress until his death on June 28, 2010. Senator Carte P. Goodwin, West Virginia, was a member of the Committee during the 111th Congress from July 20, 2010, until November 15, 2010. Note: Archived webcasts of all hearings and an electronic version of this report are available at http://rules.senate.gov. (II) VerDate Nov 24 2008 14:23 Dec 03, 2010 Jkt 062210 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 6621 C:\DOCS\62210.TXT SHAUN PsN: DPROCT C O N T E N T S April 22, 2010 EXAMINING THE FILIBUSTER: HISTORY OF THE FILIBUSTER 1789–2008 OPENING STATEMENT OF: Hon. Charles E. Schumer, Chairman, a U.S. Senator from the State of New York ....................................................................................................................... 1 Hon. Mitch McConnell, Republican Leader, a U.S. Senator from the Commonwealth of Kentucky ............................................................................... 4 Hon. Tom Udall, a U.S. Senator from the State of New Mexico ......................... 7 Hon. Lamar Alexander, a U.S. Senator from the State of Tennessee ................. 8 Hon. Pat Roberts, a U.S. Senator from the State of Kansas ............................... 10 Hon. Saxby Chambliss, a U.S. Senator from the State of Georgia ...................... 14 TESTIMONY OF: Ms. Sarah A. Binder, Professor, Department of Political Science, George Washington University, Washington, DC .......................................................... 17 Mr. Gregory J. Wawro, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Columbia University, New York, NY ................................................................. 19 Mr. Robert B. Dove, Parliamentarian Emeritus, U.S. Senate, Falls Church, VA .......................................................................................................................... 21 Mr. Stanley I. Bach, Retired, Senior Specialist in the Legislative Process, Congressional Research Service, Washington, DC ............................................ 23 PREPARED STATEMENT OF: Hon. Robert Bennett, Ranking Member, a U.S. Senator from the State of Utah ...................................................................................................................... 38 Hon. Robert C. Byrd, a U.S. Senator from the State of West Virginia ............... 41 Ms. Sarah A. Binder, Professor, Department of Political Science, George Washington University, Washington, DC .......................................................... 45 Mr. Gregory J. Wawro, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Columbia University, New York, NY ................................................................. 50 Mr. Robert B. Dove, Parliamentarian Emeritus, U.S. Senate, Falls Church, VA .......................................................................................................................... 61 Mr. Stanley I. Bach, Retired, Senior Specialist in the Legislative Process, Congressional Research Service, Washington, DC ............................................ 67 MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD OF: Senator Harry Reid, ‘‘The Nuclear Option,’’ The Good Fight, Submitted by Senator Lamar Alexander ................................................................................... 79 Statement of Senator Byrd, Orientation for New Senators, Submitted by Senator Lamar Alexander ................................................................................... 102 Mimi Murray Digby Marziani and Diana Lee, Statement for the Record, Brennan Center for Justice, New York, NY ...................................................... 108 Emmet J. Bondurant, Statement for the Record, Common Cause, Washington, DC .......................................................................................................................... 113 QUESTIONS FOR THE RECORD OF: Hon. Tom Udall, a U.S. Senator from the State of New Mexico, to Committee witnesses ............................................................................................................... 118 (III) VerDate Nov 24 2008 14:23 Dec 03, 2010 Jkt 062210 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 C:\DOCS\62210.TXT SHAUN PsN: DPROCT IV Page May 19, 2010 EXAMINING THE FILIBUSTER: THE FILIBUSTER TODAY AND ITS CONSEQUENCES OPENING STATEMENT OF: Hon. Charles E. Schumer, Chairman, a U.S. Senator from the State of New York ....................................................................................................................... 137 Hon. Robert Bennett, Ranking Member, a U.S. Senator from the State of Utah ...................................................................................................................... 139 Hon. Lamar Alexander, U.S. Senator from the State of Tennessee .................... 141 Hon. Pat Roberts, a U.S. Senator from the State of Kansas ............................... 142 Hon. Richard J. Durbin, a U.S. Senator from the State of Illinois ..................... 143 Introduction of Hon. Walter F. Mondale by Hon. Amy Klobuchar, a U.S. Senator from the State of Minnesota ................................................................. 144 Hon. Tom Udall, a U.S. Senator from the State of New Mexico ......................... 156 Hon. Robert C. Byrd, a U.S. Senator from the State of West Virginia ............... 160 TESTIMONY OF: The Honorable Walter F. Mondale, Dorsey & Whitney LLP, Minneapolis, MN ......................................................................................................................... 145 The Honorable Don Nickles, Chairman & CEO, The Nickles Group, Washington, DC ................................................................................................... 148 Mr. Steven S. Smith, Kate M. Gregg Professor of Social Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, MO .................................................................................... 166 Mr. Norman J. Ornstein, Resident Scholar, American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, Washington, DC ..................................................... 168 PREPARED STATEMENT OF: Hon. Robert Bennett, Ranking Member, a U.S. Senator from the State of Utah ...................................................................................................................... 176 Hon. Tom Udall, a U.S. Senator from the State of New Mexico ......................... 177 The Honorable Walter F. Mondale, Dorsey & Whitney LLP, Minneapolis, MN ......................................................................................................................... 179 The Honorable Don Nickles, Chairman & CEO, The Nickles Group, Washington, DC ................................................................................................... 185 Mr. Steven S. Smith, Kate M. Gregg Professor of Social Sciences, Washington University, St.