BriefTea
Every story in sixty words
Get the free app no ads · no paywallExplained in plain English
A filibuster is a tactic in the US Senate where a minority of senators can delay or block a vote on a bill or other measure. They do this by extending debate indefinitely, preventing a vote from taking place. It requires 60 votes to end a filibuster, meaning the majority needs significant cross-party support.
Stories that explain this
Democrats could win US House and Senate majorities in midterm electionsQuestions this opens up
How many senators are there? Can the President stop a filibuster? What is the Senate's role?Related explainers
What does Congress actually do? Who are the current leaders? How does the House work? How are Senate seats decided? What does the Speaker actually do? Who are the Speaker and Majority Leader?The full catalogue
Browse every card filed under F →We would like to count visits and see which links bring readers here. That means storing a random ID in your browser. No cookies, no ads, no profile. How it works.