It’s a novel approach:
Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) on Tuesday called for the elimination of the House rule that prohibits holding votes open for the purpose of changing the outcome. “Rule 2(a) is not enforceable,” Hoyer told the Select Committee to Investigate the Voting Irregularities of Aug. 2, 2007, adding that he would not be opposed to a committee recommendation to eliminate that rule.
The rule in question was one of the signature accomplishments of the new Democratic majority when they took leadership of the House in 2007. It was intended to prevent the sort of arm-twisting that has become common on close votes. Now that it’s become inconvenient to a majority that frequently faces close votes, they will apparently do away with it.
