A senator can stop a vote on a bill by filabustering it,(talking it to death). Said senator takes the floor and keeps talking until the senate gives up trying to vote or until the windbag can't go on talking any more.While the senator is talking the senate must stay in sesion and the other senators have to stay in the senate on call ready to vote as soon as the filabustering senator can't go on any longer or a call for cloture is called for. If cloture is called for and 60 votes are garnered, the filabuster stops, and the bill is voted on. If the filabustering senator can't go on, the bill is voted on.
What the lazy pimps we have as senators now do is threaten a filabuster, vote in lock step along party lines so 60 votes cannot be garnered and then the bill is dropped because these no good, over paid, fopish fools don't want to subject themselves to a few hours of unpleasantness, as they might miss a good party or a rendevouz with a mistress.
I have no idea what the new leadership has planned, but I have noticed a pattern with President Bush, he is not playing by the old rules. It is possible that the next time a Senator threatens a filabuster, they may actually have to do so.