Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) signaled Tuesday that the Senate will move on to filibuster reform once it finalizes the relief package for victims of superstorm Sandy.
He said on the Senate floor:
Once we complete that vital legislation, the Senate will take action to make this institution that we all love work more effectively. We will consider changes to the United States Senate rules.
Because this matter warrants additional debate, today we 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. I am hopeful the Republican leader and I will reach an agreement that allows the Senate to operate more effectively.
By opting to “recess” rather than “adjourn,” Reid would continue the first legislative day of the new session and therefore leave room to reform the filibuster with 51 votes.
