Senate Democrats watch the next phase of the filibuster battle as they plan a series of tests to try to pressure Republicans and influence their colleagues who are wary of changing the Senate’s most famous rule.
As the House approves several major policy priorities, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer
Chuck Schumer Democrats Make Low-Tax States An Offer They Should Refuse Biden Must Keep Health Care Promises FEMA Pauses Flood Insurance Rate Update Following Schumer Pushback: Report MORE (DN.Y.) promises he will lay the bills on the ground this year and set up high-profile showdowns on President Biden
Joe Biden Good luck, Dan Bongino! The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden’s Next Act: Massive Infrastructure Plan With Tax Hikes Conservative Group Says Polls Show Dems ‘Voting Rights Law Out Of Synchronization With US Voters’ MORE‘s campaign promises.
Democrats say the strategy is twofold: it will ensure opposition Republicans are on the agenda and demonstrate to Democrats wary of legislative filibuster reform that much of their agenda is in the uncertainty will remain without reforms.
Her. Tim Kaine
Timothy (Tim) Michael Kaine Time to Prioritize the Mental Health of Our Primary Health Heroes Democrats Pledge to Go ‘Daring’ – With or Without GOP This Week: Senate Working To Confirm Biden’s Pre-Break Choices MORE (D-Va.) Be on house-passed bills or legislation coming out of senate committees unifying the caucus and gaining wide support as possible areas that could heighten filibuster discussions among Democrats.
“If Dems goes well, we’ll bring them to the ground and see if we can get Republican support. I think that’s probably the next step, ”he said.
Her. Dick Durbin
Dick Durbin Meet the Make the Senate Great Again Caucus Sunday Show Preview: Biden Administration Struggles With Border Rise; US Mourns Atlanta Shot Dead Hillicon Valley Victims: Senate Republicans Call for Hearing on FTC’s Obama-Era Google Decision | US net with an increasing risk of cyber-attacks, says GAO | YouTube rolls out TikTok rival MORE in the US (D-Ill.), During a speech on the Senate floor, urged Republicans to “show us” that the Senate can pass legislation with the 60-vote legislative filibuster intact.
“What I’m saying to those defending the filibuster is, show me that the Senate can operate with a filibuster and still do things that make us a better nation. They have to test that on the ground, ”Durbin told reporters separately.
When the room will move to the next stage is unclear. The Senate is leaving for a two-week hiatus on Thursday, but senators are discussing their next legislative steps after passing a sweeping $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus bill and devoting themselves last week and this week to confirming Biden’s. Cabinet nominees.
Schumer, during a recent interview on CBS’s “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Stephen Tyrone Colbert Meet the Make the Senate Great Again caucus The Hill’s 12:30 Report – Presented by Johns Hopkins University – US marks anniversary of COVID lockdowns Colbert spoofs Oprah-Meghan interview with Biden’s dogs MOREOn the filibuster, promised to set a “bold” agenda, but said Democrats were willing to give Republicans “a chance.”
‘We put things on the floor. Because there are some of my colleagues who say let’s give them a chance, ”said Schumer, referring to members of the Democratic caucus.
Schumer has already put down the Equality Act, an LGBTQ anti-discrimination law, on the Senate calendar. Senate Democrats last week unveiled a sweeping ethics and election reform, passed by the House earlier this month without GOP votes. He has also promised that the Senate will conduct background checks on weapons and try to negotiate a long-sought deal on immigration reform.
When asked about the agenda as soon as the Senate returns in April, Schumer said, “There are tons of things we want to do.”
But many of the bills don’t have the 60 votes it takes to overcome a filibuster, which could add pressure on Democrats to change the rules or the big campaign promises she and Biden made on the 2020 campaign trail to put it aside.
If Democrats ignore the filibuster, senate leader for minorities Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnell The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden’s Next Act: Massive Infrastructure Plan With Tax Hikes Senate Republicans Torn Over Ear Tag Returns The Memo: Trump Fights To Stay Relevant MORE (R-Ky.) Promises a “nuclear war” that would bring the Senate to a halt. For Republicans, that can include demanding roll-call votes for motions such as suspending the Senate, which are normally routine issues done unanimously in seconds. Republicans could also deny that Democrats need the quorum to serve the chamber.
Progressives don’t have the support needed to change or undermine the filibuster. Several senators are considered wary, while Sens. Joe Manchin
Joe Manchin The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden’s Next Act: Massive Infrastructure Plan With Senate Tax Hikes Confirms Marty Walsh As Biden’s Labor Secretary Wipe White House Eyes T Spending Proposal MORE (DW.Va.) and Kyrsten Cinema
Kyrsten Sinema The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden’s Next Act: Massive Infrastructure Plan With Tax Hikes McConnell Knocks Kentucky Democrat Over Aid For Ignoring Filibuster Sinema, Cornyn Urges Biden To Use ‘Full Authorities’ At Border MORE (D-Ariz.) Are both known against getting rid of the 60 vote threshold.
It is unclear what could change their minds, although Democrats see two areas as fertile ground: the right to vote and background checks on weapons.
Democrats on Tuesday vowed to pass legislation and debate to expand background checks following a shooting in Colorado that killed 10 people. But the bill passed by the house extending background checks to all sales and transfers, with few exceptions, will not get 60 votes in the Senate.
Schumer said he would meet with Sen. Chris Murphy
Christopher (Chris) Scott Murphy It’s March: It’s Madness Democratic lawmaker ‘fought back tears’ on border facility visit Democrats play border crisis defense MORE (D-Conn.) And other Democratic senators to discuss the way forward, but added, “We’re not going to do what McConnell did and never let a vote take place.”
Various polls in recent years have found support for comprehensive background checks to be around 90 percent. Murphy, noting their widespread popularity, argued that if extensive background checks can’t pass the Senate, that’s a problem with the chamber.
“If the filibuster is the only thing that prevents a wildly popular bill from becoming law, then it should definitely be part of the conversation about why the rules need to change,” Murphy said.
Democrats are also under increasing pressure to drop the filibuster specifically for voting rights legislation. In addition to a sweeping democracy and electoral reform bill, House Democrats have rolled out stand-alone legislation named after the late Rep. John Lewis
John LewisBiden, Harris discuss voting rights with Stacey Abrams Clyburn rails against filibuster on House-floor Warnock: ‘Almost impossible to overestimate the importance of voting rights legislation’ MORE (D-Ga.), To re-authorize and strengthen the Voting Rights Act.
Her. Chris Coons
Chris Andrew CoonsBiden Sends Senate Democrat To Ethiopia Amid Human Rights Concerns Filibuster Struggle Looms As Biden Leans In OVERNIGHT POWER: Indigenous Groups Hope Haaland’s Historic Confirmation Comes With Tribal Victories | EPA asks court for Trump rule limiting greenhouse gas registrations | to ignore The green group asks regulators to block the use of utility money for lobbying MORE (D-Del.) Told reporters he wasn’t sold on the filibuster change, but pointed to voting rights as a big deal to him.
“I… very concerned about what is happening in states across the country,” he said. “So I’m weighing what these different proposals are.”
Her. Chris Van Hollen
Christopher (Chris) Van Hollen Senate Democrats Enact Bill To Introduce Financial Transaction Tax Senate Democrats Enact Bill To Foreclose Incentive Controls From Collection Agencies Democratic Lawmakers Propose B-Raise For State For MORE (D-Md.), Who noted his support for filibuster reform, added that if Republicans block voting accounts, it will “generate more momentum for filibuster reform.”
One idea that has been put forward is to create an exemption from the civil rights law filibuster that would allow supporters of the procedural rule to technically keep it, but also pass bills with a simple majority that a growing number of Democrats see as crucial to the future the country.
Manchin shot that idea down, however.
“I feel very strongly about protecting the filibuster as it is,” he said. “You can’t break the spot.”