On the recordJanuary 27, 2011
I wanted to take a moment to commend and thank several of my colleagues for their work to end the abuses of the Senate rules. Senators Schumer, Harkin, Merkley, Udall of New Mexico, Udall of Colorado, and many others dedicated time and effort to this cause. Without their effort, the Senate would not be voting on these resolutions today. I want to briefly outline my views on the five measures we will vote on shortly. While I believe there are superior ways to end the use of the secret hold, I intend to support the Wyden-McCaskill-Grassley resolution. I oppose the use of the secret hold, which is a notice by an anonymous Senator of his or her intention to object to proceeding to a measure or matter. Under current Senate practice, a Senator can place a hold on a measure or matter by notifying the Senate leadership of his or her intention to object. Such a notice does not prevent Senate leadership from moving to a particular measure or matter. The problem is that the threat of a filibuster of the motion to proceed is allowed. It should not be. But if Senators threaten to filibuster, that should be made public so they should have to openly defend their threat. Nowhere in the Standing Rules of the Senate is there any mention of a hold. The hold, secret or otherwise, ends when the leader moves to proceed.
