On the recordJanuary 25, 2011
I think what the Senator from New Mexico has set forward is that we would save 28 hours on each nomination. If the Senate goes around the clock, that is a bit more than a day. If we are doing 10-hour days, that is almost 3 days. We save 3 days of Senate time that is put to no purpose right now since by the time you have a 60-vote cloture you already have 60 Members saying they are ready to vote and want to go forward. So letting people wrap up over a couple of hours, restating their key points for other Members, makes sense. That is why the 2 hours are there. But rather 2 hours than 3 days.
