Oregon Sen. Merkley says getting anything done in the Senate is like “wading through tar” as he joins Montana Republican Sen. Daines in proposing sweeping rules overhaul

Oregon – “Trying to get anything done in the Senate feels like wading through tar.” Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley made that statement on X on Oct. 8 as he announced a bipartisan proposal with Republican Sen. Steve Daines of Montana aimed at changing Senate rules and making it easier for lawmakers to debate, negotiate and pass legislation.

“We have a bipartisan proposal to get back to debating, negotiating, and actually passing bills,” Merkley wrote, pointing to the proposal the two senators are promoting under the name “Save the Senate.” The plan seeks to address what Merkley and Daines describe as years of legislative gridlock, procedural delays and increasingly partisan politics that have made it difficult for the Senate to act on major issues. In a joint announcement, the senators argued that both political parties have contributed to the chamber’s dysfunction and that lawmakers from both sides share responsibility for addressing it.

“For much of our history the American people could rely on the Senate to tackle our hardest challenges,” the senators said. “But over the past 50 years, deliberation in the U.S. Senate has all but ground to a halt due to toxic, partisan political culture.” They said the proposed changes would encourage bipartisan cooperation, strengthen committees, give senators more opportunities to introduce and amend legislation, reduce unnecessary procedural delays and help prevent government shutdowns. The proposal was also reported by Semafor and Roll Call on Oct. 8, with both outlets detailing the pair’s effort to make it easier for bipartisan legislation to reach the Senate floor without eliminating the filibuster. One of the central elements would eliminate cloture votes on nominations, motions to proceed and amendments. Cloture is the procedure used to end debate and move toward a vote, and it generally requires 60 votes in the Senate. Under the proposal, a cloture vote would still be retained before final passage under regular order.

According to the Washington Post, Merkley and Daines argue that the current procedures can consume substantial floor time even before senators reach the substance of a bill. Their proposal would reduce some of those procedural hurdles so lawmakers could spend more time debating legislation and voting on amendments. The plan would also create a Senate version of the House’s suspension calendar. Under that system, bipartisan bills that have cleared committee could qualify for expedited consideration and passage with a two-thirds majority. A separate fast-track process would allow bipartisan legislation that has cleared committee to be processed, amended and passed with a simple majority. Another proposed procedure would allow bipartisan spending bills to be brought to the floor, amended and passed within two days.

In an opinion article published by The Washington Post on Oct. 8, Merkley and Daines said more than 650 bipartisan bills had passed their respective committees over the previous decade but never received floor consideration because of existing time and procedural constraints. They argued that the Senate needs a more efficient process to consider legislation while preserving opportunities for debate and compromise.

The senators are presenting the proposal as an effort to improve how the chamber operates, rather than dismantle its traditional role in deliberation. Their plan does not call for eliminating the filibuster, a major point emphasized in coverage by Semafor and Roll Call. Instead, it focuses on specific procedural changes intended to make it easier for bills with bipartisan support to receive votes. The proposal also comes ahead of the November midterm elections, with the senators arguing that changes to the Senate’s rules would be necessary regardless of which party controls the chamber afterward.

“Both parties had a role in creating the Senate’s dysfunction, and both parties have a responsibility to fix it,” Merkley and Daines said in their joint statement. The proposal does not itself change Senate rules. Its implementation would require support from other senators, and the two lawmakers have yet to secure the backing needed to put the full package into effect. The complete “Save the Senate” proposal is available here.