It may have been written when a different president was in office and a different party controlled both houses of Congress, but Professor Gregory Wawro’s book Filibuster: Obstruction and Lawmaking in the U.S. Senate is proving itself especially timely.

With 41 Republicans now in the U.S. Senate, the Democrats’ brief filibuster-proof majority is gone. And, there is talk of changing the rule so that legislation can pass with a simple majority, instead of three-fifths or 60 votes.

Professor Wawro recently spoke with The Record at Columbia University about his research for the book and the prospects and implications for changing the filibuster rule in the current legislative environment.  Read the entire interview here.

Professor Wawro testified before the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration on the history of the filibuster in Room on Thursday, April 22, 2010.  The hearing and Professor Wawro's testimony can be viewed here.