By Imperial Decree, the Senate is hereby dissolved pending reformation. Reasons for dissolving the Senate:

1. After more than a year of occasional cajoling from the Emperor, the Senate failed to devise a method of removing members, for any reason other than severe offenses which would normally result in a ban from the entire board.
   
2. During recent discussions of removing a particular Senate member, it became apparent that Senatorhood is viewed as an entitlement rather than a responsibility, and that any attempt to remove a Senator is viewed very much like a criminal trial.
   
3. There was strong indication that many Senators were either unaware of the posted rules governing the Senate, or nonchalant about their importance. The Senate Whip also expressed personal frustration at this situation.

Despite what some will no doubt assume, this is not an attempt to "punish" anyone in particular, but rather, a public admission that the Senate needed to be better defined and administered in the first place. Until a stronger set of policies can be drafted which would prevent these problems in a future improved version of the Senate, the Senate will hereby be dissolved, by order of the Emperor.

The regional governors now have direct control over their territories. Fear will keep the local systems in line. Fear of this battle station.