hotlining

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- No meeting. No debate. Just a phone call.

And, the bill passes unanimously.

This is hotlining. While some senators, including Indiana's own Senators Lugar and Bayh, may have objections to the practice, neither sees the need to work toward changing the practice. Nor do the other 98 members of the U.S. Senate.

Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) is more straight forward in his defense of the practice. "We don’t have time to debate everything ... but if you object, they ought to be willing to negotiate with you. But usually, they put the press after you.”

With hotlining, the Senate majority and minority leaders agree to pass a bill without a vote. They call all senators on special hotlines installed in each office, giving a specified amount of time to object - sometimes as little as 15 minutes. If no objection is registered, the bill passes.