Cornyn Files Motion Filed to End Senate Filibuster Debate

: "Republican lawmakers filed a cloture motion on Friday to end the debate on the first of President Bush's pro-life judicial picks. Debate would end and a vote would be taken on Tuesday on the nomination of a federal appeals court judge and a vote would take place on changing the rules if the filibuster continues.

Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, filed the motion for Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, who was out of town. Some 18 members of the Senate signed on to the petition to end debate on Bush's nomination of pro-life Texas Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Owen to the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Cornyn said there would be a fourth day of debate Monday followed by the Tuesday vote.

He rejected the idea that the vote to change the filibuster rules would lead to a 'constitutional crisis' and condemned a compromise being considered by a dozen Democrat and Republican members.

'This is a controversy, a disagreement, not a crisis.' Once the filibuster rules change vote takes place, he said, 'we should get back to work.'"