Dear Mr. Hamster,
Thank you for contacting me about the cloture and filibuster rules in the United States Senate. It is an honor to serve Arizona in the United States Senate, and I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts on the issues facing our state and our country. Hearing from Arizonans helps me better serve our state, and I hope you will continue to share your perspectives and suggestions.
The filibuster is a procedural feature in the United States Senate that allows Senators to prolong debate on a bill or nomination. Debate on a piece of legislation can only end if there is a unanimous agreement to proceed to final consideration of a bill or nomination, or if senators vote in favor of a cloture motion. The ability to filibuster and prevent final consideration of a bill has been used to slow the legislative process and prevent votes on legislation. Many Arizonans are frustrated by Senate procedures that delays the ability of Congress to pass legislation. As Arizona’s Senator, I am focused on delivering results for Arizonans by working with my colleagues, both Republicans and Democrats, to pass commonsense, bipartisan legislation in the United States Senate, which is widely supported and therefore not subject to cloture rules.
Article 1, Section 5 of the Constitution allows each chamber of Congress to set the rules for how they consider legislation. Senate Rule XXII sets the threshold for ending debate on a filibuster, also known as a “cloture motion,” at 60 votes for legislation, and 51 votes for the consideration of nominations. No proposal to change the Senate’s filibuster or cloture rules have been formally proposed this year.
In recent years, some have argued that Senate filibuster and cloture rules should be modified to allow proposed legislation to be considered more quickly, with a simple majority of votes, while others contend that the Senate’s current rules ensure full consideration of a bill before the Senate votes. All Arizonans can agree that when possible, Senators should work to consider bipartisan solutions to solve the pressing challenges faced by our nation. As Arizona’s Senator, I will work with Republicans and Democrats to find commonsense, bipartisan solutions to the challenges Arizonans face, including lowering the cost of health care, combating the coronavirus, and helping every Arizonan get a good paying job.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this issue, and I hope you will continue to contact my office with any future comments or questions. I am committed to being transparent and accountable with all Arizonans, which is why I release my public schedule every week at kelly.senate.gov. There you can also learn more about my work as Arizona’s senator.
Sincerely, I
Mark Kelly
United States Senator
