Filibuster And Closture Rule

Question 1

Cloture Rule (Rule 22)

Answer 1

Is the only formal procedure that the Senate rules provide for breaking a filibuster. Under Cloture, the Senate may limit consideration of a pending matter to 30 additional hours

Question 2

Who is the record holder for longest filibuster?

Answer 2

Senator Storm Thurmond: held the floor for 24 hours and 18 minutes, but was unsuccessful in his one person effort to block the Civil Rights Act of 1957

Question 3

What are the rules of a filibuster?

Answer 3

• Senators have to stand, not sit, lean on their desks, or walk about
• Language must be “parliamentary” in nature

Question 4

Who introduced the Cloture Rule?

Answer 4

Woodrow Wilson

Question 5

What is the rule for Cloture?

Answer 5

Required a 2/3 majority to end a debate and permitted each member to speak for an additional hour after that, before voting on final passage

Question 6

Who and what was the most recent filibuster?

Answer 6

Who: Rand Paul
What:
1) Arguing the legal use of drones in targeted killings within the boundaries of the U.S.. Said it endangered the lives of Americans
2) Reauthorizations of the Patriot Act (trying to block it and challenge parts that were coming up on expiring)

Question 7

Filibuster

Answer 7

An attempt to talk a bill to death; when a majority of Senators seeks to delay or prevent Senate action on a measure