Democrats Call for Elimination of Senate Filibuster Rules

Employment Law

Some Senate Democrats want to scrap the 60-vote filibuster rule in 2017 to make it easier to pass bills on paid leave, gender equity, and other issues should they regain control of the chamber.  Under the current Senate rules, it takes 60 votes to bring a bill up for final passage, which has served as a sticking point for most controversial legislation for several years.  There have been perennial calls for elimination of the rule from both parties.  In the previous Congress, the Democratic Senate voted to allow confirmation of presidential appointees to proceed by majority vote, but retained the filibuster for Supreme Court nominees and legislation.  According to Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CN), "If Republicans start to use their minority to block every nominee and every one of Hillary Clinton's priorities, then I think it will become an important topic… I think the vast majority of our caucus supports it and Democrat senators who have been the biggest opponents of [changing the rules] won't be here in 2017."  When some Republicans proposed eliminating the filibuster rule last year, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) warned: "Without a Senate filibuster, you can kiss state right-to-work laws goodbye."  Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) believes "it would be the biggest institutional mistake, maybe in modern Senate history."