Leahy asks senators to buck ‘Dracula Rule’

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) asked his fellow senators to quit procrastinating Wednesday and provide amendments to a patent reform bill under floor consideration.

“I know sometimes we follow the 'Dracula Rule' here,” said Leahy, who is managing the floor debate on the bill, “being that we don’t legislate till it gets dark and Dracula comes out. So maybe we could — the days are getting longer — maybe we could do some things during daytime hours.”

“I send out a call — a pleading call — people who really want their amendments, come forward, let's have a vote on them, up or down and be done with this,” said Leahy.

Shortly after Leahy spoke he reluctantly scheduled a vote on an amendment that would express the sense of the Senate that the Congress should pass a constitutional amendment that would force the U.S. government to balance its budget every year.

Leahy then said he wished senators would keep their amendments germane to the underlying legislation.

“I had hoped the Senate would focus specifically on this measure to create jobs,” said Leahy. “It's unfortunate we have been bogged down with non-germane, non-relevant, extraneous amendments that have nothing to do with reforming our patent system.”