Congressmen Ami Bera, David Cicilline, Rodney Davis and Adam Kinzinger talk problem solving.
A Filibuster Timeline - Daily Dose
Submitted by Collin Berglund on May 12, 2012
FILIBUSTER TIMELINE: Earlier this week, Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) expressed his support for filibuster reform. But where did the filibuster come from? Here's a quick timeline: 1806: Senate rules allow for filibuster; 1837: first filibuster used; 1917: cloture instituted; 1949: cloture expanded to motions to proceed; 1959: cloture weakened from 2/3 of all sworn in senators to 2/3 of all senators present and voting; 1974: budget reconciliation established to protect budget matters from filibuster; 1975: threshold for cloture lowered from 2/3 to 3/5; 2005: Gang of 14 comes to agreement regarding filibusters of judicial nominees; 2011: a comprehensive reform package for the filibuster is proposed, leadership agrees to a more modest proposal; Dec. 2011: No Labels introduces filibuster reform in Make Congress Work! action plan Jan. 2012: President Obama endorses one of No Labels' proposals that deals with the filibuster in State of the Union address; May 10, 2012: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid backs substantive filibuster reform: No Labels Blog; Filibuster Reform: 12 Dates in Senate History
ANOTHER ENDORSEMENT: At the Fix Congress Now Caucus's first formal meeting on Wednesday, May 16, Reps. Scott Rigell (R-VA), Reid Ribble (R-WI), Jim Cooper (D-TN) and Kurt Schrader (D-OR) will announce their support for the No Budget, No Pay Act: Rigell, Ribble, Cooper, Schrader Launch Bi-Partisan Fix Congress Now Caucus
SOLUTIONS, NOT FINGER-POINTING: Over the past week, a number of stories have cited last week's op-ed by Thomas Mann and Norm Ornstein, that Republicans are the true problem in Congress. Ezra Klein is the latest to say as much. This is not a constructive conversation. The purpose of our movement is to find solutions, not cast blame. There are good and bad actors on both sides -- and there are efforts underway to get to consensus, like the Gang of Six's behind-the-scenes work. This sort of academic analysis, while titillating, does not help move the country forward: Ezra Klein for The Washington Post: Republicans have taken a more polarizing political turn than Democrats in recent years
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION UPDATE: Where will the 2012 presidential election be waged? In Ohio, for starters, No Labels Co-Founder Bill Galston writes in his latest piece. Without Ohio, Romney can't win -- and Obama's odds are below 50 percent. Problem-solver voters will be heard in Ohio: Bill Galston for The Brookings Institution: Six Months to Go: Where the Presidential Contest Stands as the General Election Begins
REPLACING THE SEQUESTER: Both parties are trying to get away from the sequester resulting from last year's Super Committee failure. Earlier this week, Republicans tried to replace defense cuts with additional cuts to social programs. Now Democrats are trying to implement more tax increases instead of spending cuts. Both bills can offer starting points for a future deal, but it will take work from both sides -- the proposals are not close right now: The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget Blog: SequesterWatch: Dueling Replacement Alternatives Emerge in the House
STAT OF THE DAY: Thus far, counting the cloture motion for the Export-Import Bank's reauthorization, there have been 84 cloture motions filed in the Senate this session: Steve Kornacki for Salon: Harry Reid’s filibuster rage
ACTION OF THE DAY: Did you take action on our new, state-of-the-art Facebook Action Center yesterday? If so, take another today. If you haven't seen our new tool to build the movement on Facebook yet, click here to check it out now. It's the button below the main banner.
Written & edited by Collin Berglund, Joe Mansour and Lauren Gilbert
Tips, questions or ideas? Email the Daily Dose team at dailydose@nolabels.org or tweet at us (@nolabelsorg).
12 Ways to Make Congress Work!
- 1. No Budget, No Pay
If Congress can't pass a budget and all annual spending bills on time, members of Congress should not get paid.
- 2. Up or Down Vote on Presidential Appointments
All presidential nominations should be confirmed or rejected within 90 days of the nomination.
- 3. Fix the Filibuster
Require real (not virtual) filibusters and end filibusters on motions to proceed.
- 4. Empower the Sensible Majority
Allow a bipartisan majority of members to override a leader or committee chair’s refusal to bring a bill to the floor.
- 5. Make Members Come to Work
Make Congress work on coordinated schedules with three five-day work weeks a month in DC and one week in their home district.
- 6. Question Time for the President
Provide a monthly forum for members of Congress to ask the president questions to force leaders to debate one another and defend their ideas.
- 7. Fiscal Report to Congress
A nonpartisan leader should deliver an annual, televised fiscal update in-person to a joint session of Congress to ensure everyone is working off the same facts.
- 8. No Pledge but the Oath of Office
Members should make no pledge but the pledge of allegiance and their formal oath of office.
- 9. Monthly Bipartisan Gatherings
The House and Senate should institute monthly, off-the-record and bipartisan gatherings to get members talking across party lines.
- 10. Bipartisan Seating
At all joint meetings or sessions of Congress, each member should be seated next to at least one member of the other party.
- 11. Bipartisan Leadership Committee
Congressional party leaders should form a bipartisan congressional leadership committee to discuss legislative agendas and substantive solutions.
- 12. No Negative Campaigns Against Incumbents
Incumbents from one party should not conduct negative campaigns against sitting members of the opposing party.
- 1. No Budget, No Pay
If Congress can't pass a budget and all annual spending bills on time, members of Congress should not get paid.
- 2. Up or Down Vote on Presidential Appointments
All presidential nominations should be confirmed or rejected within 90 days of the nomination.
- 3. Fix the Filibuster
Require real (not virtual) filibusters and end filibusters on motions to proceed.
- 4. Empower the Sensible Majority
Allow a bipartisan majority of members to override a leader or committee chair’s refusal to bring a bill to the floor.
- 5. Make Members Come to Work
Make Congress work on coordinated schedules with three five-day work weeks a month in DC and one week in their home district.
- 6. Question Time for the President
Provide a monthly forum for members of Congress to ask the president questions to force leaders to debate one another and defend their ideas.
- 7. Fiscal Report to Congress
A nonpartisan leader should deliver an annual, televised fiscal update in-person to a joint session of Congress to ensure everyone is working off the same facts.
- 8. No Pledge but the Oath of Office
Members should make no pledge but the pledge of allegiance and their formal oath of office.
- 9. Monthly Bipartisan Gatherings
The House and Senate should institute monthly, off-the-record and bipartisan gatherings to get members talking across party lines.
- 10. Bipartisan Seating
At all joint meetings or sessions of Congress, each member should be seated next to at least one member of the other party.
- 11. Bipartisan Leadership Committee
Congressional party leaders should form a bipartisan congressional leadership committee to discuss legislative agendas and substantive solutions.
- 12. No Negative Campaigns Against Incumbents
Incumbents from one party should not conduct negative campaigns against sitting members of the opposing party.
- 1. No Budget, No Pay
If Congress can't pass a budget and all annual spending bills on time, members of Congress should not get paid.
- 2. Up or Down Vote on Presidential Appointments
All presidential nominations should be confirmed or rejected within 90 days of the nomination.
- 3. Fix the Filibuster
Require real (not virtual) filibusters and end filibusters on motions to proceed.
- 4. Empower the Sensible Majority
Allow a bipartisan majority of members to override a leader or committee chair’s refusal to bring a bill to the floor.
- 5. Make Members Come to Work
Make Congress work on coordinated schedules with three five-day work weeks a month in DC and one week in their home district.
- 6. Question Time for the President
Provide a monthly forum for members of Congress to ask the president questions to force leaders to debate one another and defend their ideas.
- 7. Fiscal Report to Congress
A nonpartisan leader should deliver an annual, televised fiscal update in-person to a joint session of Congress to ensure everyone is working off the same facts.
- 8. No Pledge but the Oath of Office
Members should make no pledge but the pledge of allegiance and their formal oath of office.
- 9. Monthly Bipartisan Gatherings
The House and Senate should institute monthly, off-the-record and bipartisan gatherings to get members talking across party lines.
- 10. Bipartisan Seating
At all joint meetings or sessions of Congress, each member should be seated next to at least one member of the other party.
- 11. Bipartisan Leadership Committee
Congressional party leaders should form a bipartisan congressional leadership committee to discuss legislative agendas and substantive solutions.
- 12. No Negative Campaigns Against Incumbents
Incumbents from one party should not conduct negative campaigns against sitting members of the opposing party.
11 Ways to Make the Presidency Work!
- 1. Regular News Conferences for the President
- 2. Fast-Track Legislative Authority for The President
- 3. Make The Parties Pay for Presidential Fundraising
- 4. A Line Item Veto With A Twist
- 5. Reduce the Number of Appointees Subject to Senate Confirmation
- 6. Identify a "Slate That Can't Wait" of Critical Nominees For Expedited Confirmation
- 7. Up or Down Vote on Presidential Appointments
- 8. Question Time for The President
- 9. Expanded Presidential Power to Reorganize
- 10. Different Opinions, But the Same Facts
- 11. Regular Meetings Between the President And Congressional Leadership
- 1. Regular News Conferences for the President
- 2. Fast-Track Legislative Authority for The President
- 3. Make The Parties Pay for Presidential Fundraising
- 4. A Line Item Veto With A Twist
- 5. Reduce the Number of Appointees Subject to Senate Confirmation
- 6. Identify a "Slate That Can't Wait" of Critical Nominees For Expedited Confirmation
- 7. Up or Down Vote on Presidential Appointment
- 8. Question Time for The President
- 9. Expanded Presidential Power to Reorganize
- 10. Different Opinions, But the Same Facts
- 11. Regular Meetings Between the President And Congressional Leadership
- 1. Regular News Conferences for the President
- 2. Fast-Track Legislative Authority for The President
- 3. Make The Parties Pay for Presidential Fundraising
- 4. A Line Item Veto With A Twist
- 5. Reduce the Number of Appointees Subject to Senate Confirmation
- 6. Identify a "Slate That Can't Wait" of Critical Nominees For Expedited Confirmation
- 7. Up or Down Vote on Presidential Appointment
- 8. Question Time for The President
- 9. Expanded Presidential Power to Reorganize
- 10. Different Opinions, But the Same Facts
- 11. Regular Meetings Between the President And Congressional Leadership
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In today's Problem-Solver's Daily, members of the House has an agreement in principle for immigration reform, scandals are hurting everyone and one cabinet nomination was confirmed.
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