One of two centrist Democratic senators opposed to a move by the party to alter the long-standing filibuster condemned the effort in a floor speech Wednesday, calling for lawmakers to instead increase bipartisanship.
“I cannot support such a perilous course for this nation when elected leaders are sent to Washington to unite our country, not to divide our country.” West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin said.
Manchin delivered the address ahead of a Wednesday vote on altering the filibuster rule for a single measure that combines two partisan election bills Democrats hope to pass into law ahead of the midterm elections.
Democrats will put forward a resolution that would require a “talking filibuster” to prevent cutting off debate on the election measures.
Senate rules currently require 60 votes to end debate and move on to final passage with a simple majority. Changing the rule for one bill, as Democrats intend, would likely result in more measures circumventing the filibuster, lawmakers in both parties said.
“Let this change happen in this way, and the Senate will be a body without rules,” Manchin warned.
BRNOVICH RIPS KELLY FILIBUSTER SUPPORT AS ‘UNCONSTITUTIONAL’
Republicans are poised to block the election overhaul measures, arguing that they are partisan and would federalize elections while reducing voter integrity.
Manchin backs the election reform legislation but will not back changing the filibuster. He’s joined by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona Democrat, who delivered her own broadside against changing the filibuster in a floor speech last week.
Manchin, in his address, said Democrats and Republicans have demonstrated they can collaborate, and ending the filibuster would remove the incentives of bipartisanship.
“We’re called the United States, not the divided states,” Manchin said. “And putting politics and party aside is what we’re supposed to do. It’s time that we do the hard work to forge difficult compromises that can stand the test of time.”
Thanks to opposition by Manchin and Sinema, the rules change is doomed to fail, but Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he wants all lawmakers on the record.
“Win, lose, or draw, we are going to vote,” Schumer, a New York Democrat, said. “We are going to vote. Especially when the issue relates to the beating heart of our democracy as voting rights does.”
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Earlier Wednesday, Republicans praised Manchin and Sinema for refusing to bend in their opposition to ending the filibuster and signaled that the GOP will not try to make a similar change if they regain control of Congress.
“I congratulate both of them for their courage and preserving the institution and bearing in mind that the shoe will soon be on the other foot,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said.
