What is a filibuster and in which body is it commonly used?

• A. A prolonged speech to delay or block legislation; commonly used in the U.S. Senate
• B. A veto by the president
• C. A legal injunction in the courts
• D. A vote to end debate

Answer: (A)

Filibuster is a tactic used to delay or block a vote on a bill by extending debate, often through a lengthy speech or procedural moves. It’s most famously associated with the United States Senate, where senators can stall action until a supermajority agrees to end the debate (cloture). This is why a prolonged speech to delay or block legislation in the Senate is the best description. A presidential veto is the president’s rejection of a bill, not a legislative delaying tactic. A legal injunction is a court order stopping action, not something that happens in the legislative chambers. Ending debate, via cloture, is the mechanism to halt a filibuster, not the filibuster itself.