West Wing Episode: Filibuster

Facts/Details Learned

1. Voting can begin as soon as filibuster is over.
2. During a filibuster, the person cannot stop eat, sleep, sit down, or stop talking. 
3. If multiple people are involved in the filibuster, they can take turns talking.
4. The person can only yield for a question.
5. They do not have to even talk about the bill- they just must continue talking.
6. A bill must have 60 votes to pass in the Senate.
7. Cloture means the ending of a debate.
8. Filibusters give more power to individual Senators.
9. This is a method of holding up legislation.
10. Many Senators want new laws to minimize the effects of filibusters because they are becoming more common.

Questions

1. How often do filibusters occur in Congress?
2. Are filibusters usually successful?
3. Does the House experience something like this, too?
4. Where did this term come from?
5. When was the first known filibuster in the US Senate?