Analysis
Daines-Merkley Rules Reform Analysis
Senators Steve Daines and Jeff Merkley propose sweeping changes to Senate rules to expedite bipartisan legislation, strengthen committees, and increase amendment votes. But their reforms would also limit debate and restrict individual senators’ ability to offer amendments, shifting power from the full Senate to a subset of its members.
Why Senators Surrendered Power to Party Leaders
Party leaders dominate today’s Senate because rank-and-file senators increasingly defer to them - not because the chamber’s rules require it. Senators accepted less influence over legislation in exchange for a more predictable schedule, fewer difficult votes, and less responsibility for making the Senate work.