Senate Unlikely to Ditch Filibuster Rule
Print this Article | Send to Colleague
Despite increasing calls to remove the rule that requires 60 votes to proceed to consider legislation, known as the filibuster rule, the Senate is unlikely to change its procedures. Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) have reiterated in recent days their support for the filibuster rule. Changing it would require all 50 Democratic senators to vote in favor of changing the rule.
The renewed efforts to remove the rule come as Senate Democrats and the White House have pivoted from pushing the Build Back Better Act to focusing on voting legislation. President Joe Biden, who has historically defended the filibuster rule, traveled to Georgia on Tuesday to champion voting legislation, endorsing a strategy to eliminate the filibuster for two elections bills. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) indicated on Tuesday that eliminating the filibuster rule would result in retaliation from Republican senators, opening the Senate to becoming bogged down by requests for roll call votes on housekeeping and procedural items.
For more information, contact Andrew Tyrrell at atyrrell@nrmca.org.
