A filibuster is a common tactic used in the Senate, where debate time is unlimited, to prevent the legislation on the floor from passing. It is part of the Parliamentary Procedure in that chamber of Congress. It requires 60 senators to break a filibuster in what is known as cloture. Filibusters are impossible in the House because the House has adopted rules to permit a majority of the members to end debate on a matter in response to the pressures created by the size of the body. The House of Representatives was able to do this, despite opposition from minority parties, because it is not a continuous body, it must reorganize itself and adopt rules from scratch by majority vote after each election. In contrast, the Senate is a continuous body which only amends its rules from session to session, which requires a two-thirds majority.
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