Specter Decries 'Filling the Tree'
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) spoke on the Senate floor late Monday night regarding the use of the Senate procedure called “filling the tree” to derail progress on important pending legislation this session.
Filling the tree is a process whereby the Majority Leaders use their power to offer a sufficient number of amendments to “fill the tree” so that no other Senator can offer an amendment. Senator Reid has employed the practice 15 times this Congress on legislation, including the oil speculators bill currently pending, the Medicare bill, FAA reauthorization and climate change.
“We have plenty of time to deal with these issues if we allow Senators to offer amendments and if we then proceed to consider them,” Senator Specter said on the floor. “I call upon the majority leader to keep the Senate in session providing we take up the issues of oil prices and gasoline prices and providing we do not engage in the same circular, dilatory finger-pointing practices which have characterized the Senate for months now during the time when Senator Reid has offered 15 instances where the so-called tree has been filled and no other amendment can be offered by any Senator.”
Senator Specter continued: “I am not anxious to come back in August, but I am prepared to do so, and I think it would be in the national and public interest to do so if we tackle the issue. The August session ought to be for oil and gas prices, and that would be worth our while.”
On February 15, 2007 Senator Specter introduced S. Res. 83, calling for a revision of the Senate rules to prohibit “filling the tree."
To read the full text of Specter's floor comments, go HERE
Filling the tree is a process whereby the Majority Leaders use their power to offer a sufficient number of amendments to “fill the tree” so that no other Senator can offer an amendment. Senator Reid has employed the practice 15 times this Congress on legislation, including the oil speculators bill currently pending, the Medicare bill, FAA reauthorization and climate change.
“We have plenty of time to deal with these issues if we allow Senators to offer amendments and if we then proceed to consider them,” Senator Specter said on the floor. “I call upon the majority leader to keep the Senate in session providing we take up the issues of oil prices and gasoline prices and providing we do not engage in the same circular, dilatory finger-pointing practices which have characterized the Senate for months now during the time when Senator Reid has offered 15 instances where the so-called tree has been filled and no other amendment can be offered by any Senator.”
Senator Specter continued: “I am not anxious to come back in August, but I am prepared to do so, and I think it would be in the national and public interest to do so if we tackle the issue. The August session ought to be for oil and gas prices, and that would be worth our while.”
On February 15, 2007 Senator Specter introduced S. Res. 83, calling for a revision of the Senate rules to prohibit “filling the tree."
To read the full text of Specter's floor comments, go HERE
.jpg)
Comments