Dissatisfied with how your government is working? No doubt it is a complicated and unsavory process. Sadly, the press and some members of government are making the situation worse. Regardless of your political views, there’s some Constitutional facts that are being ignored lately. We need to make something abundantly clear: 60 votes are NOT required to pass a bill in the Senate. Nor is the “slaughter solution” or “deem and pass” some form of legislative trickery.
Article 1, Section 5 of the Constitution: “Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly Behaviour, and, with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a Member.” (Office, 1)
And so, the procedures which might be used to pass current controversial legislation were set an agreed upon by the respective legislative bodies at the beginning of the annual session. “Deem and pass” is not a trick, “reconciliation” shouldn’t be controversial, they are standing rules agreed upon by the representatives. If a citizen believes those rules to be unsavory, the author would suggest encouraging your representative to change those rules.
Now to quote the U.S. Senate website, www.senate.gov : “Typically, a simple majority is required for a measure to pass. In the case of a tie, the vice president (president of the Senate) casts the tie breaking vote. An affirmative vote of three-fifths of the senators duly chosen and sworn is typically required to invoke cloture.” (Yea, 1)
What is cloture, you ask? “…in 1917, senators adopted a rule (Rule 22), at the urging of President Woodrow Wilson, that allowed the Senate to end a debate with a two-thirds majority vote, a device known as “cloture.” (Filibuster, 1) Nowadays, as indicated above, three-fifths is all that is required, or 60 votes. The 60 vote procedure is typically followed to quickly end arguing and filibuster in the Senate chambers.
Hopefully that clarifies some information you’ve been hearing lately. As more people get fed up with government and participate less, the situation will only get worse. Make sure to stay informed and stay involved, it’s the only way to fix the situation.
Works Cited
“Filibuster and Cloture .” U.S. Senate. United States Senate, n.d. Web. 18 Mar.
2010. <http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/
Filibuster_Cloture.htm>.
Office of the Secretary of the Senate, and Johnny H. Killian. “Constitution of the United States .” United States Senate. The Library of Congress, n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2010. <http://www.senate.gov/civics/constitution_item/constitution.htm>.
“Yea or Nay? Voting in the Senate.” U.S. Senate. United States Senate, n.d. Web.
18 Mar. 2010. <http://www.senate.gov/>.
