WASHINGTON (Transatlantic Today) – If senate republicans block two bills set for consideration, the Senate will vote on amending the rules to enforce a “talking filibuster” on voting legislation, according to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
If the Republicans reject cloture on the bill before the Democrats, Schumer, D-N.Y., warned after a Democratic caucus meeting that he will put forth a request to amend the regulations to permit for a talking filibuster on this bill, as suggested by a large number of colleagues.
On Wednesday night, the Senate is likely to vote on the closing debate on the 2 proposals. That vote, according to a current government official, is doomed to fail due to GOP objections, causing Democrats to try to change the rules with a strong majority later that evening, according to NBC News.
The new rule would transfer the burden of evidence from the Majority in the senate to the minority, which would have to keep the floor and talk incessantly to prevent the bills from passing.
Bending the law would require the support of all Fifty Democrats in the Democratic party, which does not really appear to be the case going into the vote on Wednesday.
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., a centrist, quickly voiced his opposition to the rule change proposal when it was distributed on Tuesday. He also emphasized that he opposes the use of the nuclear alternative to alter the regulations with a strong majority, which is the Democrats’ only choice because of Republican unanimity.
Despite calls from her own party to change the rules, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Arizona, has also supported the 60-vote barrier.
Senators Manchin and Sinema are entirely out of step with the majority of the caucus on rule changes, according to Schumer.
When asked what this meant for Manchin and Sinema’s re-election chances, Schumer answered, “I’m not getting into politics.”
Sinema was reportedly absent from Tuesday’s meeting but called in while on her route to Washington, according to one source. According to two persons familiar with the session, Manchin talked throughout the debate and debated over the origins of the filibuster.
House Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., stated before the meeting indicated that Sinema and Manchin did not appear to be in support of a filibuster reform, stating, “We are divided.”
