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2011 Senate 'Laziest' in Decades

2011 saw least-productive session since 1992

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted Apr 16, 2012 3:05 PM CDT

(Newser) – The 2011 Senate produced less legislation than any other since 1992, according to a report by the chamber's own secretary. Throughout its 170 days, the Senate was in session an average of just 6.5 hours per day; only 2008's Senate had a lower figure, with three members running for president. The 2011 Senate also confirmed just 19,815 nominations, the fewest in 20 years, and passed a total of only 402 measures, the second-fewest since 1992. The data is particularly embarrassing because 2011 wasn't an election year, when productivity typically falls, the Washington Examiner reports.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).   (Getty Images)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 20 comments
beckjr2000
Apr 17, 2012 10:43 AM CDT
Harry Reid said," Mission Accomplished!"
Buckshot
Apr 17, 2012 7:18 AM CDT
Don't forget the god dam House talk about doing nothing for three years they actually qualify for unemployment benefits.
SPHeroid
Apr 16, 2012 9:42 PM CDT
I think it is important to keep in mind the "filibuster"  is not a constitutional provision... If the Senate remains Democratic, they may, by simple majority, change the rules... (See Article 1, Section 5, Paragraph 2)..... The Senate, by tradition, has kept these rules but they are by no means written in stone..... Indeed, the rules for overriding a filibuster was a 2/3 vote for most of the US history...
 

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