MinnPost: Franken introduces reverse-cloture rule to shift filibuster burden to minority party

Sen. Al Franken has introduced a "reverse-cloture" bill that would shift the burden of filibustering from the majority to the minority.

Currently, lawmakers have to find 60 votes to end a filibuster. Franken's bill doesn't exactly change the math, but puts the onus on the minority party instead by making them find 41 votes to keep one going.

That's an important distinction, as several cloture votes this year on key issues like the health care overhaul and Don't Ask Don't Tell have failed while having fewer than 60 votes to cut off and having fewer than 41 to continue. Under Franken's plan, those votes would have gone the other way.

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Read the rest of MinnPost: Franken introduces reverse-cloture rule to shift filibuster burden to minority party (156 words)

© louie for Al Franken - U.S. Senator, Minnesota, 2011. |
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