Historic Senate Filibusters
Efforts to Block or Delay Floor Action
Using the filibuster to delay debate or block legisla-tion has a long history. In the United States, the term filibuster — from a Dutch word meaning “pirate” — became popular in the 1850s when it was applied to efforts to hold the Senate floor in order to prevent action on a bill. In the early years of Congress, representatives as well as senators could use the filibuster technique. As the House grew in numbers, however, it was necessary to revise House rules to limit debate. In the smaller Senate, unlimited debate continued since senators believed any Member should have the…
