„We’re going to have to move to the point where we fundamentally alter the filibuster,“ said the president.
Rights advocates are applauding President Joe Biden’s “long overdue” remarks at a Thursday CNN town hall signaling that he would support significant reforms to the filibuster to pass voting rights legislation and potentially other key pieces of his agenda. The president told Anderson Cooper he’d be open to returning to the talking filibuster, which requires senators to speak on the floor of the Senate, to replace the current rules which allow the minority party to block legislation that fails to garner 60 votes rather than enabling the passage of bills with a simple majority. Biden also said the talking filibuster should end after two senators have delivered their speeches. “We’re going to have to move to the point where we fundamentally alter the filibuster,” said the president of the procedural rule which this week stood in the way of the passage of the Freedom to Vote Act and which advocates say could stop the Democratic Party from passing legislation to protect women’s healthcare, among other agenda items. When Cooper asked the president to clarify whether he would support reforming the filibuster to pass voting rights legislation amid the GOP’s widespread voter suppression efforts, Biden replied, “And maybe more” — suggesting he may support the procedural change to ensure his party can raise the federal debt ceiling and pass far-reaching climate legislation, an immigrants’ rights package, and other bills.
