In remarks Tuesday at the U.S. Capitol, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) made clear he’s serious about breaking the logjam in the Senate by reforming the body’s onerous filibuster rules.
“We’re going to change the rules. We cannot continue in this way. So I hope we can get something Republicans will work with us on,” Reid said, according to several press accounts.
“But it won’t be a handshake,” he added, referring to a previous attempt to broker a truce. “We tried that last time; it didn’t work.”
Many in Reid’s caucus are jonesing for a change to current Senate rules that allow the minority to block or slow legislative action. Led by more junior members like Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Tom Udall (D-NM), they say the Senate should no longer require 60 votes to begin debate and should force those threatening to filibuster a bill to hold the floor and actually debate it.
Perhaps most controversially, the Senate agitators hope to strike during a brief window in January, at the start of the next Congress, when just a simple majority — not a two-thirds vote — is required to change Senate rules.
So where do Vermont’s senators stand on filibuster reform?
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!
Bernie would be in FAVOR of filibusters the minute Republicans control the Senate.