Udall, Harkin y Merkley presentan paquete de reforma de reglas para restaurar la responsabilidad ante el Senado

WASHINGTON- Senadores estadounidenses Tom Udall (NM), Tom Harkin (IA) y Jeff Merkley (OR) today introduced a resolution to reform the Senate rules that includes a package of provisions designed to increase transparency, restore accountability and foster debate in an institution where obstruction and dysfunction have pushed aside progress for the American people.

Currently, the resolution is co-sponsored by the following senators: Dick Durbin (IL), Amy Klobuchar (MN), Sherrod Brown (OH), Mark Begich (AK), Richard Blumenthal (CT), Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), Jeanne Shaheen (NH), Barbara Boxer (CA), Benjamin L. Cardin (MD), Joe Manchin (WV), Barbara Mikulski (MD), Jay Rockefeller (WV), and Jon Tester (MT).

The resolution comes after years of unprecedented obstruction and a historic rise in the use of the filibuster. Since 2006, there have been more filibusters than the total between 1920 and 1980. As a result of this dysfunction, in the last Congress the Senate was unable to pass a single appropriations or budget bill, left more than 400 bills sent over by the House unconsidered, and left key executive appointments and judicial nominations to languish.

“Here in the Senate, open, honest debate has been replaced with secret backroom deals and partisan gridlock. Up-or-down votes, and sometimes even debate, on important issues have been unreasonably delayed or blocked entirely at the whim of a single senator,” Udall said. “The American people are fed up with it. They are fed up with us. And I don’t blame them. We need to bring the workings of the Senate out of the shadows and restore its accountability. Over the next two weeks the American people will have the opportunity to add their voices to the call for reform and I encourage them to speak loudly.”

“This reform effort is about one thing: ensuring the Senate can operate more fairly, effectively and democratically to meet the challenges of our time,” Harkin said.  “When I first moved toward a reform effort in 1995, I saw an escalating arms race, where each side ratcheted up the use of the filibuster.  The sad reality is that, today, because of the indiscriminate use of the filibuster, the ability of our government to legislate and to address problems is severely jeopardized.  Sixteen years after I first introduced my proposal, it is even more apparent that for our government to properly function, we must reform and curb the use of the filibuster.”

“The clear and undeniable fact is that the Senate is broken. Thoughtful deliberation does not occur and far too much gets lost in a tangle of obstruction and delay. Our proposal will help restore the Senate to what the American people believe it ought to be – an institution that respects both minority and majority rights and allows fair consideration, debate and decisions on legislation and nominations,” merkley dicho.

El paquete de reforma de las reglas incluye cinco disposiciones que harían lo siguiente:

• Eliminar el obstruccionismo en las mociones para proceder: Hace mociones para proceder no sujetas a obstrucciones, pero prevé dos horas de debate. Esta propuesta ha tenido apoyo bipartidista durante décadas y, a menudo, se menciona como una forma de acabar con el abuso de las retenciones.

• Eliminar retenciones secretas: Prohíbe a un senador objetar en nombre de otro, a menos que él o ella revele el nombre del senador con la objeción. Esta es una solución simple para abordar un problema de larga data.

• Consideración garantizada de enmiendas tanto para la mayoría como para la minoría: Protege los derechos de la minoría a ofrecer enmiendas después de la presentación de la clausura, siempre que las enmiendas sean pertinentes y se hayan presentado de manera oportuna.

• Filibustero parlante: Garantiza un debate real tras una votación de clausura fallida. Los senadores que se opongan a proceder a la aprobación final deberán continuar el debate siempre que el tema de la votación de clausura o una enmienda, moción, punto de orden u otro asunto relacionado sea un asunto pendiente.

• Acelerar nominaciones: Proporcionar dos horas de tiempo de debate posterior a la clausura para los nominados. El tiempo posterior a la clausura está destinado a debatir y votar enmiendas, algo que no es posible en las nominaciones. En cambio, la minoría ahora requiere que el Senado use este tiempo simplemente para evitar que pase a otros asuntos.