Jon Kyl: “These precedents--in 1977, 1979, 1980, and in 1987--bear directly on the situation the Senate faces today. In those…”

“These precedents--in 1977, 1979, 1980, and in 1987--bear directly on the situation the Senate faces today. In those instances, Senate business was being obstructed by dilatory tactics that had not traditionally been employed but which were permitted under the rules. The Senate faced the same conundrum as it does today: Must the Senate permit rule by the minority, or can it exercise its constitutional power to restore traditional practices? In each case, the Senate did the latter. It created precedents that altered the practices and procedures and, in some cases, operation of the standing rules themselves in order to ensure that tradition was upheld. What did not happen as a result of these earlier exercises of the constitutional option? Well, first, the Senate did not collapse or become ``like the House of Representatives,'' which is the fear of many Senators today. Second, Senators' speech rights are just as strong as ever. Nor were Americans' free speech rights injured, as some Senators say will happen. Third, minority rights were not destroyed. The Senate minority is as vibrant as ever and has been remarkably successful in obstructing the business of the Senate, whether we are talking about the Energy bill, medical liability lawsuit reform, asbestos reform, tax relief, or other issues. Before I close, I would like to address concerns that some of my conservative friends have recently expressed.…”