The Senate did not always rely on powerful party leaders and cloture to pass legislation. Its older system was decentralized, with power spread across committees and rank-and-file members.
The Senate did not give party leaders control over every step. Senators crafted bills in committee, debated them on the floor, offered amendments, and settled disagreements by voting.
Party leaders mattered, but they did not decide a bill’s fate before the Senate considered it on the floor.
