# Filibuster question about urination
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filibuster-question-about-urination/231453
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [February 27, 2004, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filibuster-question-about-urination/231453 "2004-02-27T12:46:41Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@bizzwire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizzwire)
#### Post date: [February 27, 2004, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filibuster-question-about-urination/231453/1 "2004-02-27T12:46:41Z")
I think you can see where I’m going here.
It’s my understanding that during a filibuster, you cannot leave the floor, else you relinquish it. What do congressmen and women do if, you know, nature calls?
Thanks.
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### Author:  [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)
#### Post date: [February 27, 2004, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filibuster-question-about-urination/231453/2 "2004-02-27T12:58:59Z")
Seems some just go where they are.
Which leads, [in some cases](http://www.fairvote.org/redistricting/reports/remanual/monews.htm), to charges being brought. Interesting.
> [@](#):
>
> Missouri: Filibuster Leads To Charge
> August 15, 2001
>
> A St. Louis alderwoman who refused to end a filibuster for a trip to the restroom was charged with public urination in an incident last month in which City Council allies surrounded her with a quilt and handed her a pail. The alderwoman, Irene Smith, who has not said whether she used the pail, faces a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and a $500 fine for the July 17 incident, in which she argued against a redistricting proposal that could have cost her seat. Consideration of the plan was put off until a later date.
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [February 27, 2004, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filibuster-question-about-urination/231453/3 "2004-02-27T13:05:46Z")
STrom Thurmond hold the record for longest continous filibuster by one speaker at 24 hours, 18 minutes in 1957 when he singlehandedly block school desegregation legislation. He prepared for the marathon speaking engagement by dehyfrating himself in the Capitol steam room, so that he could drink some liquids without have to urinate.
[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,90552,00.html](http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,90552,00.html)
> [@](#):
>
> He left the chamber at 9:12 p.m. Aug. 29. Dent waited in the cloakroom with a pail in case Thurmond was in dire need of a toilet, Cohodas wrote.
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [February 27, 2004, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filibuster-question-about-urination/231453/4 "2004-02-27T13:07:17Z")
Would somebody preview that for me, I obviously neglected to.