filibusters

By a vote of 52 to 48, the Senate ended the use of so-called filibusters against presidential nominees, overturning traditions in the chamber that allowed the minority party to block White House nominees.

参议院以52票对48票的结果，结束了所谓的使用借助冗长发言等方式阻碍议事程序规则（filibuster）反对总统提名的做法，推翻了参议院允许少数党阻扰白宫提名的传统。

This Republican leadership has waged 78 filibusters and we still have six months to go.

而这届参议院上台才一年半,共和党领导层已经应用了78次.

Yes, there were filibusters in the past-most notably by segregationists trying to block civil rights legislation.

没错, 过去也有使用阻挠立法手段的 —— 尤其是种族隔离分子阻止民权法案使用过.