Political vocabulary & government processes · Article 11 of 20 · United States
Filibuster
A Senate procedure that can delay action.
What the term means
A filibuster is the use of Senate debate and procedural opportunities to delay or block action. Modern Senate practice often allows a minority to prevent many bills from advancing without continuous floor speeches.
How it works in practice
The filibuster is a Senate practice, not a constitutional requirement. Its application varies by matter and has changed over time; not all nominations or measures follow the same thresholds.
A concrete example
A bill with a simple majority of supporters may still fail to advance if supporters cannot end debate under the applicable Senate rule.
What to examine next
Distinguish a vote on the bill itself from a procedural vote to advance or end debate.
Next: Cloture.