Mary Savonarola, age 13, of Bellingham, Wash., for her question:

WHAT IS A FILIBUSTER IN CONGRESS?

A filibuster is the practice by which a minority in the legislature uses extended debate to block or delay action on a proposed bill. Members of the minority make endless speeches, demand roll calls, propose useless motions and use other delaying tactics.

If a group can keep a bill from coming to a vote, the group can  defeat it even though the majority favors it.

The U.S. Senate has a tradition of unlimited debate. As long as a senator holds the floor, he may speak without interruption. He can filibuster by himself or with a group.

In 1957 Sen. Strom Thurmond filibustered for 24 hours and 18 minutes in a debate over civil rights. A filibuster against the civil rights bill of 1964 lasted 75 days.