Legislative Obstruction Tactics in the U.S. Congress
Common Tactics Used by the Minority Party:
Motion to Recommit – A last-minute move to send a bill back to committee, forcing delays or last-minute changes.
Demanding Recorded Votes – Requesting roll call votes on procedural motions and amendments to consume time.
Filibuster by Amendment – Offering numerous amendments to a bill to prolong debate (especially in the House Committee of the Whole).
Raising Points of Order – Challenging procedural rules to force rulings by the Speaker or Parliamentarian, delaying progress.
Motion to Adjourn – Repeatedly moving to adjourn, forcing votes on each motion to slow proceedings.
Obstructing Unanimous Consent – Objecting to routine legislative actions to force formal debate or votes.
Boycotting Committee Meetings – Denying a quorum by refusing to attend, preventing business from proceeding.
Forcing the Reading of Bills – Demanding full readings of lengthy bills to waste hours or days.
Delaying Conference Committees – Slowing the reconciliation process between House and Senate versions of a bill.
Leveraging Media and Public Pressure – Using press conferences, social media, and messaging to rally opposition and delay momentum.
Additional Senate-Specific Tactics:
Filibuster – Blocking bills that lack 60 votes by prolonging debate.
Unanimous Consent Objections – Holding up legislation and nominations.
Senate Blue Slip Process – Allowing home-state senators to stall judicial nominations.
Reconciliation Process Manipulation – Using procedural objections and amendments to slow budget-related legislation.
Quorum Calls and Roll Call Votes – Requiring frequent votes on amendments or procedural motions to prolong debate.
Legal and Investigative Tactics:
Reviving Old Laws – Using outdated statutes to challenge federal power (e.g., 19th-century abortion bans, pre-Civil War laws).
War Powers Resolution – Forcing debate on military actions without explicit congressional approval.
Congressional Review Act (CRA) Stalling – Delaying the rollback of regulations.
Use of Inspectors General & Oversight Committees – Launching investigations into the executive branch to slow down policy implementation.
State-Level Legal Challenges – Using state attorneys general to file lawsuits against federal policies, delaying implementation through courts.
