|
A Path to Accomplishment, Not Gridlock
from the Office of Senator Mitch McConnell
Friday, November 21, 2008
42 Republican Senators call for bipartisan achievement, a voice for their more than 157 million constituents in legislative debate
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell delivered a letter discussing the role of the Senate Minority to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Friday. The letter, signed by 42 Republicans representing more than 157 million Americans, calls on the Majority to work with Republicans to accomplish bipartisan legislative achievements. The text of the letter appears below:
The Honorable Harry Reid
Majority Leader
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator Reid:
As we begin our work together in the 111th Congress, Republican Senators are united in our support for the Senate’s Constitutional duty to freely debate and amend.
During the 110th Congress, the Senate was frequently stalled by periods of partisan gridlock. Too often in the previous Congress, legislation bypassed the committee process and was considered with no input from Republican Senators. Further, when those bills were considered on the floor and there were no opportunities for Republican Senators to offer any amendments, millions of our constituents from many states were denied the right to be heard. A record number of cloture petitions were filed, and the “amendment tree” was filled in order to stymie efforts of the Minority to shape legislation of critical importance to those very constituents. During the 111th Congress, we will need to work together across the aisle to ensure that the Senate returns to the regular practice and tradition of allowing all Senators their fundamental right to debate and amend legislation.
As Senator Robert C. Byrd told the incoming Senators-elect in 1996:
‘As long as the Senate retains the power to amend and the power of unlimited debate, the liberties of the people will remain secure.’
Senator Reid, we agree with your statement earlier this year that, ‘A filibuster is the minority’s way of not allowing the majority to shut off debate, and without robust debate, the Senate is crippled.’
As we learned in 2007, when Senators are permitted to fully debate and amend, we can work together to pass bipartisan legislation. The Senate passed several pieces of landmark legislation that were debated and amended with full participation from both Democrats and Republicans.
The leaders and bill managers worked together to structure debate so that Senators could consider and vote on different approaches to major issues. But we also learned that filling the tree and filing cloture to stifle the Minority’s right to debate and amend is invariably counter-productive.
As a caucus, Republicans will insist on our basic right to participate in the legislative process. The Republican Conference intends to protect the Senate’s history of full and open consideration of major legislation, which includes a fair amendment process and the opportunity for debate.
We look forward to working with you and your fellow Democratic Senators to enact legislation that will make a difference for the American people.
###
More Press Releases
|
