Executive Session

EXECUTIVE SESSION

Ms. COLLINS. The Senator from Utah is an extraordinary lawyer, and he also has a distinguished history in the Senate and has served so ably as the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. I wonder, given the Senator's breadth of experience, if he happens to know the origin of the word filibuster and could he enlighten the Members of this body and those who are watching tonight as to its origin and meaning.

Mr. HATCH. I was hoping somebody would ask that. We have a chart prepared. They put it up. Filibuster comes from a Spanish word "filibustero," meaning a pirating or hijacking, one word for obstruction. That is what it is. Look, I have no problem with filibusters on the legislative calendar because the Senate can set its own rules. But when it comes to the Executive Calendar, that calendar depends on your exercising restraint by advising and consenting, which means a simple majority vote up and down.

In the Clinton years, every Clinton nominee who came to the floor got a vote up or down. We did have a few who wanted to filibuster Clinton nominees. I personally stopped that because I recognized it would be disastrous for the Senate if we went down that road. As you can see, it is disastrous. We are in the middle of going down that road. We have already gone down it because our colleagues on the other side just don't seem to understand how important it is for them not to filibuster Federal judicial nominees. But I thank my colleague for bringing it up.

Ms. COLLINS. I thank the Senator for his clarification. That is indeed fascinating and we have learned a great deal here this evening.