A bipartisan group of senators has struck a deal to avoid the “nuclear option” on the filibuster.
Under a compromise reached by an assortment of moderates, mavericks and senior statesmen just as the Senate was headed into its climactic overnight debate over the filibuster, three previously blocked appeals court nominees, Janice Rogers Brown, William Pryor and Priscilla R. Owen – will get floor votes. No commitment was made on the fate of two others, William Myers and Henry Saad.
In addition, the seven Democrats in the deal said they were committed to filibuster future judicial nominees only under “extraordinary” circumstances, while their Republican counterparts promised to support no changes in Senate rules that would alter the filibuster rule, effectively denying the 50 votes it would take to enact such a rules change.
Personally, I’m not so sure I like this deal, but I’m sure the theo-fascists on the religious right like it even less, so I guess anything that makes Bill Frist look like a weenie is fine by me.
In case you’re interested, here’s the pdf.