The President on Tuesday urged Senate Republicans to change the chamber’s legislative filibuster rules in order to pass big-ticket agenda items with a simple majority.
Trump argued that “Dems would do it, no doubt!” In fact, Democrats never exercised that option the last time they were in the Senate majority, from 2007 to 2015.
The U.S. Senate should switch to 51 votes, immediately, and get Healthcare and TAX CUTS approved, fast and easy. Dems would do it, no doubt!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2017
While Democrats resorted to the so-called “nuclear option” in 2013 to eliminate the filibuster for executive branch and judicial nominees — except those to the Supreme Court — they did not change the rules for legislative filibusters.
In April, Senate Republicans voted to eliminate the filibuster for Supreme Court nominees, confirming Justice Neil Gorsuch shortly thereafter.
Senators on both sides of the aisle voiced opposition to changing the legislative filibuster rules after a similar call from the President in early May:
either elect more Republican Senators in 2018 or change the rules now to 51%. Our country needs a good "shutdown" in September to fix mess!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 2, 2017
While Republicans haven’t yet released their tax proposal, House Republicans’ health care bill was designed to meet the legislative rules required to pass the Senate with a simple majority. Even after Senate Republicans announced they would be drafting their own health bill, though, it is unclear if the conference has the votes it needs to pass a bill.
