Wednesday, the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program (DCOSP) was the subject of a hearing held by Senators Joe Lieberman (I–CT) and Susan Collins (R–ME). Although the program is boosting the graduation rates of students who use a scholarship to attend private school and is overwhelmingly popular among parents and D.C. residents, …
During his speech this afternoon at The Heritage Foundation, Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) blasted the effort by some Senate Democrats to strip the filibuster from the Senate, stating “The brazenness of this proposed action is that Democrats are proposing to use the very tactics that in the past almost every …
The Senate plays a vital role in the treaty-making process. The Senate is required to provide due diligence in the considerations of treaties. The Founding Fathers set a high procedural bar for ratification and entry into force of treaties, expecting that the Senate would serve as a quality control mechanism. …
Retiring Senator Chris Dodd (D–CT) gave his farewell speech on the Senate floor on Tuesday, and his speech was an excellent discussion of the pitfalls of so-called “filibuster reform.” Dodd is the longest serving Senator in Connecticut history and a veteran of the Senate Rules Committee. Other left-of-center Senators should …
“Filibuster reform” is the new cause of the left. Senator Mark Udall (D–CO) has drafted up a rules change that would chip away at minority rights in the Senate by severely limiting the filibuster. This idea would narrow transparency, limit opportunities to offer amendments, and limit debate in the Senate …
Dealing a defeat to liberal activists, the U.S. Senate voted Tuesday not to shut off debate and proceed to consideration of the 2011 defense authorization bill. Three Democrats joined 40 Republicans in refusing to invoke cloture on the bill, inflicting a rare loss on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and …
