In a rare display of cross-party cooperation, Sens. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) have introduced a sweeping set of proposals aimed at overhauling Senate rules they argue have become a tool for obstruction rather than deliberation. The pair, writing in a joint op-ed, contend that the chamber's arcane procedures are preventing it from addressing modern challenges.
“The world isn’t waiting for the Senate. Technology and the global economy are changing faster than ever before. The Senate needs to be able to keep up to legislate effectively,” they wrote, echoing frustrations shared by many in both parties.
The senators point to a pattern of abuse where even routine or overwhelmingly bipartisan measures are delayed for days as members seek leverage for unrelated priorities. Chief among the problems, they say, is the overuse of the filibuster, which requires 60 votes to overcome and consumes significant floor time.
“Cloture was created in 1917 as a tool for the Senate to end filibusters and start voting. But the 60-threshold generally required for a cloture motion to pass is now deliberately abused to slow down the legislative process and delay voting on big issues,” Daines and Merkley wrote.
Their plan would eliminate cloture votes on what they term “routine business,” such as nominations, amendments, and motions to proceed. They also propose scrapping the “intervening day” requirement—the full calendar day that must pass between filing a cloture motion and voting on it—and reducing the post-cloture debate time from up to 30 hours to a more streamlined period.
Beyond these procedural tweaks, the proposal includes a fast-track mechanism for bills that emerge from committee with strong bipartisan backing. The senators note that more than 650 such bills have stalled for lack of floor time. Under their plan, a bill with majority support from both Republicans and Democrats on the committee would be eligible for a simple majority vote after just six hours of debate, provided 16 senators—including members from both parties—sign a petition.
Appropriations bills would receive an even quicker path, with a two-day fast track requiring a list of 20 relevant amendments, 10 from each side, each limited to five minutes of debate.
Daines and Merkley argue that the Senate has already embraced expedited procedures, citing the use of the Congressional Review Act to overturn executive rules and the budget reconciliation process for major legislation. They see their proposal as a natural extension of those precedents.
“For too long, the Senate has been stuck in the muck. Our bipartisan plan will get it moving by letting senators debate, negotiate and legislate again so we can deliver for the American people,” they wrote.
The push comes amid broader concerns about legislative dysfunction, with some lawmakers exploring bipartisan efforts to reclaim congressional authority and reassert spending powers. While the proposal faces an uphill battle in a chamber historically resistant to rule changes, the bipartisan sponsorship could give it traction in the coming months.
