The second major problem with this practice is that it delays the consideration of must-pass appropriations bills. When any of a year's 13 regular appropriations bills is not passed on time, it forces a shutdown of those parts of the Government which are funded by that bill. Every year it is becoming more difficult to get appropriations bills passed on time for a variety of reasons, and the fact that it is now commonplace to have to dispose of a hundred or more legislative amendments per bill is one of the main reasons. Our Democratic colleagues agree with these points, but they say that they must defend the practice of legislating on appropriations bills because Republicans have been treating them rudely, shutting off their access to the ordinary means for proposing legislation. We have a totally different perception.
Democrats make an awful lot of racket for people who are supposedly muzzled.
The Senate is in session for much longer hours than it historically has been, it has more recorded votes now than it historically has had in the past, and it has more votes on which there are clear party differences than it has had in the past. A very large percentage of those votes are on amendments and even bills that are offered by Democratic Senators. It is certainly true that Democrats do not get enough time as they wish to talk on legislation that is important to them, and to vote on such legislation, but it is just as true that we Republicans do not get enough time as we wish to debate and vote on our proposals. There just is not enough time. Our colleagues wrongly compare the process now to what we had 200 years ago.