Outgoing Senators Oppose Changing Filibuster Rules

Two outgoing Senators from opposite sides of the aisle told the Rules Committee Wednesday that they are opposed to lowering the 60-vote threshold needed to break a filibuster in the upper chamber.

“At the essence of protecting the rights of the minority is the filibuster rule,” Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), who appeared as a witness, told the committee. 

Gregg explained that in instances where the minority party is not allowed offer amendments to pieces of legislation, the procedural move is the only way to assure the party’s influence.

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), who sits on the Rules Committee, conceded that he has been frustrated by Republicans’ use of the filibuster to slow down key legislation proposed by the Democrats, but argued that significantly changing the precedent could be dangerous.

 “I think it would be unwise to change the current filibuster rule … and limit the rights of the minority to leverage important changes to legislation brought forward by the minority,” Dodd said. “That is a right crucial to this institution and we should exercise great, great care when we consider any changes to it.”

Dodd reminded his Democratic colleagues that when they were in the minority in the early years of the Bush administration, they had relied on the filibuster to prevent the passage of several crucial bills.

There have been numerous calls to reform filibuster requirements after Republicans used the procedure to stall health care and financial reform. Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) has proposed allowing the Senate to vote on procedural rules before each legislative session and Vice President Joe Biden, a Senate veteran, has also chided Republicans’ use of the procedure as excessive.