Several Republican senators sent a clear message to President Donald Trump on Friday: We won’t “go nuclear” and eliminate the legislative filibuster to get you money for your long-sought border wall.
Without the legislative filibuster, legislation could pass the Senate with a simple majority of support, rather than requiring Republican leadership to corral the 3/5ths of the chamber currently necessary to end debate and move on to a vote.
Trump tweeted Friday that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) should pursue this so-called “nuclear option.”
Mitch, use the Nuclear Option and get it done! Our Country is counting on you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2018
However, as CNBC’s Ylan Q. Mui reported, McConnell’s office has asserted that wall funding would be covered by the Budget Act and, as a result, would present additional obstacles to passage by a simple majority — even without the legislative filibuster.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) echoed the point on Twitter:
Plus there is a 60 vote requirement to waive a budget point of order under the Budget Act. A law, not a Senate rule or precedent. https://t.co/CKDC2iDieJ
— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) December 21, 2018
In addition, Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) on Friday announced their opposition to the move. And McConnell’s office reiterated Friday that he doesn’t have the votes to eliminate the legislative filibuster.
HATCH—>
“I’ve long said that eliminating the legislative filibuster would be a mistake. It’s what’s prevented our country for decades from sliding toward liberalism. It’s inconvenient sometimes, but requiring compromise is in the interest of both parties in the long term.”
— Senator Hatch Office (@senorrinhatch) December 21, 2018
The Senate filibuster is about the only mechanism left in Washington that brings the parties together. Deploying the nuclear option would blow that up. I will not vote to do it. https://t.co/XDL19fuSMP
— Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) December 21, 2018
We have rules to follow. I want to put a stop to this practice of the Senate breaking its rules to change its rules. I will not vote to turn the Senate into a rule-breaking institution and I hope that my colleagues will not.
Read my full statement here: https://t.co/RcptSopNhk
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) December 21, 2018
