Bob Dole: “during yesterday's debate, my distinguished colleague from Iowa, Senator Harkin, incorrectly compared his current…”

“during yesterday's debate, my distinguished colleague from Iowa, Senator Harkin, incorrectly compared his current filibuster proposal with a proposal that I endorsed in 1971. I would like to take a few moments now to set the record straight. In 1971, rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate required the affirmative vote of two-thirds of those Senators present in order for cloture to be invoked. As my colleagues know, the current rule XXII requires the affirmative vote of just three-fifths of the Members duly chosen and sworn in order to invoke cloture. With this in mind, the rules change that I endorsed in 1971 is far different from the rules change proposed today by my colleague from Iowa. My proposal in 1971 would have reduced by one the number of votes required to limit debate each time a cloture petition was voted upon. On the first vote, an affirmative two-thirds of the Senators present and voting would have been required to invoke cloture; on the second vote, two-thirds less one of the Senators present and voting would have been required; on the third vote, two-thirds less two, and so on until the point of three-fifths of those present and voting was reached. In other words, under the terms of my 1971 proposal, at no time would the number of votes needed, to invoke cloture have fallen below three-fifths of those Senators present and voting.”