Broken Senate Rules Continue to Delay the People's Business

Want to hear how the Senate rules don’t work from an inside source? Click on this interview with the “Secret Senator,” who talks about obstruction and other political games that have stalled action on important issues for working families throughout the two years of the 111^th Congress.

The House of Representatives passed more than 400 bills that never were discussed by the U.S. Senate because of these broken Senate rules.

That’s why CWA, Common Cause, and many progressive groups are working for real reform of the Senate rules, to end the secret holds and delaying tactics that prevent important legislation from even being discussed.

Bargaining rights for public safety officers and support for Sept. 11 emergency responders who became ill following their work at Ground Zero are just the most recent bills that have fallen victim to Republican delaying tactics.

The Senate rules about holds and filibusters aren’t part of the U.S. Constitution and can be changed by the new Senate after members are sworn in early in January.

Want to make your voice heard? Check out this petition that calls on Senators to make the filibuster a “real filibuster,” by requiring Senators to stay on the floor and explain to the American people why the minority is right, whether it’s about bargaining rights or other issues important to working families.