Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) have reached a power-sharing deal that secures Democratic control over committees in the upper chamber.
The announcement comes after several weeks of negotiations. Schumer said the organizing resolution will be passed later today.
Negotiations were tense at the start, with significant outrage from voters directed at McConnell, who initially would only agree to a deal if Democrats would agree to preserve the filibuster.
McConnell dropped his demand once two Democratic senators, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, said they would not agree to get rid of the filibuster outright. That meant Democrats would need the support of all 50 senators and have Vice President Kamala Harris serve as a tiebreaker and vote as a bloc.
Democrats “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 last month.
“We’re glad Senator McConnell threw in the towel and gave up on his ridiculous demand. We look forward to organizing the Senate under Democratic control,” Justin Goodman, a spokesman for Schumer said afterward.
Alan is a writer, editor, and news junkie based in New York.
