Top 5 Filibusters in US Senate History

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Texas Senator Wendy Davis spoke for more than 11 hours on Tuesday, in a filibuster to block a restrictive abortion bill. It was a gutsy effort! Now, the Run List will give you the top five filibusters in the history of the US Senate. How long can lawmakers ramble on for? Well, watch and you'll find out.

The filibuster is a way for senators to stall voting on a bill till the deadline for deciding has passed. This essentially kills the bill and makes it so that one or a few senators can knock down legislation they oppose.

The rules for the filibuster make it a test of endurance though. The senator has to stand for the entire duration of their speech and they cannot sit, lean, eat, or go to the bathroom. Oh, and did I mention they have to be talking the entire time? Unless they are asked a question the senator has to keep talking --about that subject--for as long as they their will and strength allow.

And believe it or not, there a handful of lawmakers who can just ramble on...and you're going to meet the top five in the history of the US Senate.

At number 5, US Senator William Proxmire of Wisconsin.

He spoke for 16 hours and 12 minutes in 1981 to stall debate on the increase of the public debt ceiling. He was concerned that the country was accumulating too much debt, so wanted to make sure lawmakers didn't authorize a total debt of $1 trillion. Ironically, he kinda spoke all the way through the night...meaning taxpayers had to pay tens of dollars to keep the chamber open all night.

Number 4, US Senator Robert La Follete Sr.

This senator, also from Wisconsin talked for 18 hours and 23 minutes back in 1908. His filibuster stalled debate on the Aldrich-Creeland currency bill. This bill would've allowed the US Treasury to lend currency to banks during fiscal crisis.

Okay, so 18 hours and 23 minutes, that's pretty good...but, not as good as our number 3 filibuster in the US senate. Senator Wayne Morse from Oregon.

He was known as something of a tiger in the Senate and apparently thrived on controversy. Back in 1953, Senator Morse spoke for 22 hours and 26 minutes to stop the Tidelands oil legislation of 1953. The bill would give States the rights to coastal land instead of the Federal government. Despite his attempt to bust the bill, it was in fact passed, as what's formally known as the 1953 Submerged Lands Act.

At number 2, please say hi to US Senator Alfonse D'Amato from New York

In 1986, the Brooklyn native spoke for 23 hours and 30 minutes against a military bill that would've cut funding for a jet trainer plane being built in his State. He's apparently known for doing these filibusters, and reportedly even read the DC phone book during one of these. Riveting stuff I'm sure.

And finally at number 1, the US senator who talked for the longest to stall a bill, Senators Strom Thurmond of South Carolina.

Senator Thurmond beat Senator Morse's record in 1957, by talking for more than an entire day against the Civil Rights Act of 1957.

He argued for 24 hours and 18 minutes against a law proposed by the Eisenhower administration that would make voting laws less discriminatory.

He recited the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights, and several other historical documents to help his case.

Most of the other senators had better sense, they passed the bill. On June 19th 1957.

Still, gotta give the guy some credit for his effort. I mean, talking for an entire day and then some...wow.

So, there you have it, the top five filibusters in the history of the US Senate. Politicians really can just go on and on and on and on....and.. [CUT to END CARD]

Tell us what you think about this rather peculiar process in the US democracy...I mean, holding the floor for hours on end so that other lawmakers can't debate over or vote on a bill?

And FYI - the list I just gave is only the record for the US Senate, so at the federal level. But this senator from Texas holds the overall top spot.

Mr Bill Meier spoke for a whopping 43 hours against a workers compensation bill. 43 hours, that's like....almost two days, standing, talking, without food...without sleep...without...a toilet break.....

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