January 27, 2011

Manchin: West Virginians Deserve A Government That Works For Them

Manchin votes to change, improve Senate rules

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) today backed several measures that would change the way the Senate does business, voting for new rules that would allow more open debate and increase transparency for the American people.
 
“West Virginians deserve a government that works for them, and they are understandably frustrated with the way things get done – or don’t – in Washington,” Manchin said. “The new rules we adopted today will ensure that we’re operating with greater transparency, and that the views of regular Americans are better represented in the Senate. I hope that these changes – along with a renewed spirit of bipartisan cooperation – will help the 112th Congress achieve the commonsense results the American people expect and deserve.”
 
  • Senator Manchin cosponsored and voted in favor of S. RES. 28, a measure that would require Senators to publicly disclose if they have placed a “hold” on any issue the Senate may consider. The measure passed.
 
  • He cosponsored and voted in favor of S. RES. 29, which would eliminate the frequent delaying tactic of requiring that amendments must be read if they have been submitted for 72 hours and are publicly available. The measure passed.
 
  • He voted against S. RES. 8, which would have completely eliminated the right to filibuster, which remains a vital tool in our democratic debate when used in important instances. The measure failed.
 
  • He cosponsored and voted in favor of S. RES. 10, which would have: eliminated the filibuster on motions to proceed to a debate on the substance of the bill; eliminated secret holds; allowed both the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader to offer up to three amendments on behalf of their members after cloture has been filed as long as the amendments are relevant; required that Senators who wish to filibuster a bill must actually take the floor and make remarks; and expedited the process for nominees that require Senate confirmation. The measure failed.
 
  • He cosponsored and voted in favor of S. RES. 21, which required that Senators who wish to filibuster a bill must actually take the floor and make remarks. The measure failed.
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