Dear Members of the Senate,
We are historians, political scientists, and other scholars who study the Senate, American government, American history, and the challenges facing our democracy.
With critics of the filibuster advancing arguments for its reform, we write to you with the hope that a shared understanding of this parliamentary procedure, including its history and its implications for our system of government, can better inform discussion. We believe that procedural reform can strengthen the core functions of the Senate as envisioned both by the Framers of our Constitution and by generations of Americans as well as sustain Americans’ faith in democracy. As public trust in our democratic institutions declines precipitously, we also write to you with a sense of great urgency.