Supporters of removing the 60-vote legislative filibuster face major hurdles in the Senate, even President Biden
Joe BidenBiden and Congress Must Take Bold Steps to Prevent Violent Extremism The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Biden faces offensive GOP immigration and filibusters Democrats defend border crisis he joins the struggle by calling for reforms.
Progressives see Biden’s comments endorsing the return to the “talking filibuster” as a major victory after months of pressure, despite the president’s reluctance to support his ultimate goal of removing the paperwork block.
In the Senate, which will ultimately decide the fate of the filibuster, Democrats acknowledge that they are far from being able to change the rules, meaning they will still need GOP support to pass most legislation.
“No, I think this is a process. And there are those who are skeptical of any change in the rules, “said the senator. Dick Durbin
Dick Durbin: The Hill’s Morning report, presented by Facebook, Biden faces the Republican Party’s immigration and filibuster offensive. Democrats defend the border crisis. (D-Ill.) He said about whether Senate Democrats have the votes to change the rules.
His. Brian love
Brian Emanuel Schatz: Senate Inches to COVID-19 Vote After Marathon Session Minimum Wage Reversal Revives Progressive Calls to Senate Filibuster Little-known Senate Referee to Play Important Role in Relief Plan Biden MORE (D-Hawaii), while saying he believed Biden was right in supporting the filibuster speaking, added, “I think it’s still very unclear what affects what the Senate will do.”
“I do not think that all this will be resolved by only one or two members. This has to be a family discussion … within the caucus and then a family discussion within the Senate itself, to the extent that this is possible, ”Schatz said.
To invoke the “nuclear option” to revise or get rid of the legislative filibuster, the 50 Democratic senators should support the effort.
This puts the focus on Sens. Cinema Kyrsten
Kyrsten Sinema McConnell: Schumer “Yields to Hard Left Pressure” on Filibuster The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Biden faces GOP immigration and filibuster offensive Tensions erupt over Senate filibuster MORE (D-Ariz.) I Joe Manchin
Joe Manchin The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Biden faces GOP immigration and filibuster offensive Tensions over Senate filibuster Biden says he supports return to “talking filibuster” MORE (DW.Va.), who have both expressed opposition to eliminating the filibuster.
Manchin called Biden’s claims Tuesday evening “encouraging,” but from a different perspective than the progressives.
“The president understands the importance of preserving the filibuster,” Manchin said.
“I’m still 60 … I haven’t changed,” Manchin said.
The moderate Democrat also fired in creating a cut for specific issues: “No, no, no. It’s like being a little pregnant. “
Beyond Manchin and Sinema, there is a greater concern within the Democratic caucus to make changes to the 60-vote requirement, let alone get rid of it altogether as progressives prefer.
“There are several senators who have expressed concerns,” Durbin said.
His. Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Emiel Feinstein: The Hill’s Morning Report, presented by Facebook, Biden faces GOP immigration and filibuster offensive Six women who could be California’s next senator, Feinstein, says she intends to meet the full term MORE (D-California) showed concerns about lowering the threshold by 60 votes, only to make Republicans force Conservative priorities when they become a majority again.
“I would say I’m undecided,” Feinstein said, adding that the impact on a future GOP majority “is a factor, one of the reasons I doubt it.”
His. Chris Coons
Chris Andrew CoonsDems boost hits infrastructure plans Oregon Senator takes center stage in Democratic filibuster debate This week: Democrats take next step after winning coronavirus relief bill (D-Del.), A close ally of Biden, said he was not yet on board to get rid of the filibuster.
“I’m not there yet,” Coons said. “I’m listening to peer proposals.”
His. Jon Tester
Jonathan (Jon) Tester Democratic senators call on CDC to increase accessibility to vaccine programming for seniors Oregon senator occupies center of Democratic filibuster debate Democrats are nearing pressure on negative filibuster MORE (D-Mont.) He supported the idea of a talking filibuster, but suggested that 60 votes would still be needed to pass the legislation.
“People who want to stop a bill have to be passionate … for many hours,” Tester said. “I think the number of filibusters would be reduced.”
Biden shook the debate over the Senate filibuster when he told ABC News during an interview aired Tuesday night that he supported returning to a talking filibuster.
“You had to stand up and direct the word and you had to keep talking,” said Biden, who spent decades in the Senate. “Once you stopped talking, you lost it and someone could come in and say, ‘I’m going to talk about.'”
“You have to work for the filibuster,” Biden added. “It almost gets to the point where democracy has a hard time functioning.”
Biden did not provide details on how a speaking filibuster would develop in practice and was not asked about his opinion on maintaining the 60-vote threshold for most legislation.
But supporters of reforming the filibuster announced their comments as a victory. Making Biden, who seemed wary of making changes, a crucial step for activists to help build support to finally remove the 60-vote threshold from most legislation.
Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) Said Biden “encouraged us to reform.”
“President Biden’s statements are a major shift in his position, so it seems to me, and should drive reform. … It has given new energy and potential movement in reform efforts,” Blumenthal said. .
His. Jeff Merkley
Jeff Merkley The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Biden to be launched, all Oregon senator on COVID-19 relief law takes center stage in Democratic debate on filibuster PENDING ENERGY: Graham and Sullivan indicate possible support for Haaland confirmation Agency says Biden lease break will not affect energy production in 2021 | The Senate panel unanimously advances the election of Biden as deputy director of MORE Energy (D-Ore), who has been at the center of discussions about the rules, said Biden’s statements were “very much appreciated.”
“The president acknowledged that the U.S. government cannot do its job if it is paralyzed,” Merkley added.
It’s unclear what exactly a talking filibuster would mean. Returning to practice could require opponents of a bill to have the floor, and once completed, the procedural vote would be determined by simple majority.
Democrats said another approach would be to establish a talking filibuster, forcing opponents into public view. but still maintaining the 60-vote requirement.
Senate Democrats stopped predicting exactly what Biden was approving, noting that he did not explicitly call for the 60-vote threshold to be raised.
“It’s being inaccurate, but it’s okay. I think I recognized the fact that the filibuster has been institutionalized by the senator. [Mitch] McConnell [R-Ky.]. We now accept the premise that everything needs 60 votes, so we are a filibuster Senate. And I think it’s a dramatic departure from the history of the body, “said Durbin.
Asked if Biden agreed to reduce the number of votes needed, Durbin added, “He didn’t say that. And as a student and Senate creature, he certainly knows how to carefully choose his words on this issue.”
Pressure on the filibuster is only likely to increase as the House sends out a growing list of top Democratic priorities that do not have the 60 votes needed to advance in the Senate, including immigration reform, expanding backgrounds and voting rights .
Senate Democrats on Wednesday introduced a comprehensive ethics and election reform bill, with the Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer
Chuck SchumerBiden: Cuomo should resign if the harassment investigation confirms the allegations. Half of New Yorkers say Cuomo should not resign immediately: the Stacey Abrams poll: “I don’t think it’s necessary to completely eliminate the filibuster” MORE (DN.Y.) promising to put him on the ground. It would take 60 votes to pass, but it has no GOP sponsor. Proponents of filibuster reform believe the legislation, known as For People People, is a key bill that, if blocked, will provoke broad calls to eliminate filibuster.
Republicans have not hampered a bill since Biden took office, but McConnell made it clear during a Fox News interview Wednesday that they were not afraid to block legislation they oppose.
Supporters of changing or removing the filibuster believe it will be necessary to see how Republicans block bills that have 50 Democratic votes and broad public support in order to move skeptics among the Democratic Senate group.
“We need to show them how the rules can be used and abused before they go any further,” Durbin said.
Merkley added that Democrats would see how the year unfolds.
“If McConnell continues with his strategy of obstruction and delay,” he said, “then we will work hard to bring everyone together to make the Senate work.”