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Wednesday, Apr. 2, 2025

Fact brief: Did a Fort Worth state senator give the longest filibuster in US history?

Jacob Sanchez, Fort Worth Report
yes

Bill Meier, a state senator who represented Fort Worth in the Texas Legislature from 1973 to 1983, holds the national record for a filibuster.

In 1977, Meier spoke for 43 hours. 

Meier objected to a provision in a bill that would have prevented public inspection of records of the Texas Industrial Accident Board.

A filibuster is an attempt to delay or block a vote on a piece of legislation.

The Texas Senate has rules governing filibusters:

No eating or drinking in the Senate chamber.

A senator must stand at their desk while speaking and they cannot sit, lean or have a bathroom break.

The speaker must stay on topic.

Cory Booker’s recent 25-hour floor speech — which served as a general protest rather than a filibuster of specific legislation — broke the record for the longest speech given in the U.S. Senate.

See a full discussion of this at Fort Worth Report

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