Lankford In WashPo: Change Senate Rules On Votes To Open Debate
Change Senate rules on votes to open debate
By Sen. James Lankford
Here is something you can count on: at one time or another, House members and senators will blame Senate rules for the lack of progress in Congress.
People across the fruited plain agree.
Most people do not understand the complex rules of the Senate, but they do understand that very little is moving in Congress because of the upper body. The American people see the glacial pace of the Senate as out-of-touch with a 21st century era of instant communication and a fast-moving 24/7 news cycle.
The genesis of this frustration stems from Senate rules that provide a minority of senators the ability to grind the Senate to a complete halt. As the Republican majority is now experiencing – just as the Democratic majority did before it – Senate rules can be a massive impediment to the majority party’s ability to quickly push through their complete agenda.