US Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY)

There was good news this afternoon in the Senate. The effort to end the filibuster of the DISCLOSE Act, the campaign finance bill that would overturn the Citizens United decision and impose onerous new disclosure requirements, by invoking cloture was defeated 57 to 41, so it will not proceed to a vote. This is a victory for the First Amendment.

However, there are no permanent victories in politics. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), who supports the bill and moved for the cloture vote, changed his “yes” to a “no” vote when he saw the measure going down to defeat. Under Senate rules, this means he can move for reconsideration and have a second vote on the cloture motion. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY), the main sponsor of the bill, is quoted by The Hill as saying that the majority will “go back at this bill again and again and again until we pass it.” Protectors of free speech rights obviously must remain vigilant as the Senate session continues.