Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) on Sunday called for the elimination of the filibuster after the Supreme Court let Texas’ ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy stand, leaving the second largest state in the country with virtually no access to legal abortions.
During an interview on CNN, Klobuchar was pressed on the lack of the 60 votes needed in the 50-50 Senate to codify the right to legal abortions.
Klobuchar first expressed gratitude for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) for vowing congressional action to codify Roe v. Wade into law.
After pointing out that there are some pro-choice Republicans in the Senate, such as Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Klobuchar argued that the solution to passing progressive legislation would be to nix the filibuster that has posed obstacles to Democrats’ legislative priorities.
“So, my solution to this, which is my solution for voting rights and so many other things, including climate change, where one side of the country is in flames, the other side of the country is flooded, with people dying submerged in their cars, I believe we should abolish the filibuster,” Klobuchar said.
“I do not believe an archaic rule should be used to allow us to put our heads in the sand, to use Justice Sotomayor’s words, to put our heads in the sand, and not take action on the important issues, the challenges that are facing our country right now, now and over the next years,” Klobuchar continued. “We just will get nowhere if we keep this filibuster in place.”
Klobuchar’s latest remarks were issued days after Pelosi called the Supreme Court majority opinion on Texas’ anti-abortion law “cowardly” and “shameful” in a statement. Pelosi said that the “unconstitutional assault on women’s rights” necessitates codifying Roe v. Wade.
“Upon our return, the House will bring up Congresswoman Judy Chu’s Women’s Health Protection Act to enshrine into law reproductive health care for all women across America,” Pelosi said.
With a 50-50 Senate, chances are virtually nonexistent for abortion access to survive the filibuster that has stood in the way of progressive legislation.
Democrats such as Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Ed Markey (D-MA) urged the congressional codification of abortion rights — and called for the elimination of the filibuster if need be.
“Senate Democrats have the power to fix this problem right now by abolishing the filibuster and passing my legislation to expand the Supreme Court,” Markey said in a statement. “We need to restore balance to the Court after Donald Trump and Senator Mitch McConnell blatantly stole the seats of Justice Scalia and Justice Ginsburg.”
Markey added that the Supreme Court’s ruling on Texas’ anti-abortion law must be an “urgent call to action” for his centrist colleagues, Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and Joe Manchin (D-WV), who remain loyal to preserving the filibuster.
Watch Klobuchar’s remarks below:
Amy Klobuchar calls for eliminating the filibuster in order to codify Roe v. Wade into law:
"I do not believe an archaic rule should be used to allow us to put our heads in the sand… and not take action on the important issues, the challenges that are facing our country" pic.twitter.com/9HHsYjM8IF
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) September 5, 2021
Really, if Sens. Collins and Murkowski wanted this to happen, they could vote for a carve out in the filibuster and pass the legislation, Sens. Manchin and Sinema be damned.
It isn’t gonna happen.
Go figure.
Thanks TPM - I guess with Monday being a holiday, it was a good idea to get some stories out on a Sunday when this is normally a desert. Seriously, I do appreciate it.
Amy, I hope you’re right and the filibuster sees the historical dustbin, but it will never happen while the Dems are in control of the Congress.
The filibuster is a sad anti-democratic joke of a rule. The majority should be able to pass laws if they have the stomach for it. Sometimes I think they’re all happy to have the filibuster around so none of them have to actually stand for anything.
Collins or Murkowski or any of the retiring GQP Senators who might want to improve on how history views them down the line. Toomey comes to mind.
There are many, many reasons why this should be done. Repubs have tortured and twisted the political and legal system for their own ends. So, I can think of one simple, concise, and compelling reason to proceed that is summed up in two words: Merrick Garland