Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced Thursday that he will use a procedural move to extend the first legislative day of the 113th Congress in order to leave room for filibuster reform via constitutional option, if need be.
He said on the Senate floor:
“The Senate is simply not working as it should… But I believe this matter warrants additional debate during the 113th Congress. And Senators deserve additional notice before voting to change Senate rules. So today I will follow the precedents set in 2005 and again in 2011. We will reserve the right of all Senators to propose changes to the Senate rules. And we will explicitly not acquiesce in the carrying over of all the rules from the last Congress. It is my intention that the Senate will recess today, rather than adjourn, to continue the same legislative day, and allow this important rules discussion to continue later this month. I am confident the Republican leader and I can come to an agreement that allows the Senate to work more efficiently.”
A Democratic aide involved with filibuster reform expects the legislative day to last until roughly Jan. 22.
