In a post last week the issue of the filibuster and cloture motion was considered:
US Government in Focus – What is a Filibuster and a Cloture Motion?
Within this article, it was noted that the cloture motion was the only way to stop a filibuster. However, there is another way. It is so drastic that it is nicknamed the ‘Nuclear Option’. However, given the Federal Shutdown that has engulfed the US Government in the last few days, it has been muted by some, including President Trump:
One of the more complex mechanisms of the US Senate is the ‘Cloture Motion’. It is linked to the filibuster and is an important part of how the Senate works.
If the US Congress fails to pass a bill which funds the Federal Government, it results in a Federal Shutdown. During a shutdown all government services that are not deemed to be essential are closed. This can mean that hundreds of thousands of Federal bureaucrats are sent home, without pay. They will not be allowed to work until a new funding agreement has been reached.