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Edited on Thu Jun-24-10 10:38 PM by msongs
In the modern filibuster, the senators trying to block a vote do not have to hold the floor and continue to speak as long as there is a quorum,
although the Senate Majority Leader may require an actual traditional filibuster if he or she so chooses.<16>
In the past, when one senator became exhausted, another would need to take over to continue the filibuster. Ultimately, the filibuster could be exhausted by a majority who would even sleep in cots outside the Senate Chamber to exhaust the filibusterers. Today, the minority just advises the majority leader that the filibuster is on. All debate on the bill is stopped until cloture is voted by three-fifths (now 60 votes) of the Senate. Some modern Senate critics have called for a return to the old dramatic endurance contest, arguing that the ease with which a nominal "filibuster" can be staged (compared to the real suspension of business) has led to a progressively wider use of it and has contributed to perceived "gridlock".<19>
Msongs
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