McConnell renews calls for filibuster to remain after 2 Dems back measure

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., reiterated his commitment to keeping the Senate’s legislative filibuster on Monday and pushed for a power-sharing agreement after two Democratic Senators also voiced support for the longstanding rule.

The Senate currently has a 50-50 split along party lines, with Vice President Kamala Harris, who is president of the Senate, giving Democrats narrow control of the chamber as the tie-breaking vote to push President Joe Biden’s legislative priorities.

However, Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona — both Democrats — told NBC News on Monday in a statement through their respective spokespersons that the lawmakers oppose getting rid of the 60-vote threshold to pass nearly every piece of legislation — a rule known as the filibuster.

“Today two Democratic Senators publicly confirmed they will not vote to end the legislative filibuster. They agree with President Biden’s and my view that no Senate majority should destroy the right of future minorities of both parties to help shape legislation,” McConnell said in a statement.

“The legislative filibuster was a key part of the foundation beneath the Senate’s last 50-50 power-sharing agreement in 2001. With these assurances, I look forward to moving ahead with a power-sharing agreement modeled on that precedent.”

Democrats, however, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, have said the party is unwilling to make that promise, a concession that could prevent them from passing much of President Joe Biden’s agenda, such as the third round of stimulus checks, climate change, and immigration, among other issues, for the next two years.

But, Senate Democrats would need all 50 of its lawmakers to stick together to use the so-called nuclear option in order to change the threshold to pass legislation from 60 votes to 50. This leaves the chamber stuck at an impasse without establishing the new majority.

McConnell signaled Monday night that he would back off his requirement that such protections are written into the power-sharing agreement. With the Senate’s Democrat leadership remaining firm, it remains to be seen if McConnell will follow through on dropping his blockade of the transfer of control of the chamber’s committees. In exchange for handing over the gavels of the powerful panels, McConnell had said he wants Democrats to promise to stick to the filibuster.