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McConnell signals readiness for Senate power-sharing without filibuster guarantee

Aprnews - McConnell signals readiness for Senate power-sharing without filibuster guarantee - News - USA
Tuesday, 26 January 2021

McConnell signals readiness for Senate power-sharing without filibuster guarantee

After two Democratic senators voiced support for the longstanding filibuster rule, McConnell signaled a willingness to move forward.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., signaled late Monday night that he was open to a power-sharing agreement with Democrats that did not include a written commitment to keeping the filibuster.

The Senate is split 50-50 along party lines, with Vice President Kamala Harris, as president of the Senate, giving Democrats narrow control as the tiebreaking vote to push President Joe Biden's legislative priorities.

McConnell had said he wanted Democrats to promise to preserve the 60-vote threshold to pass nearly every piece of legislation — a rule known as the filibuster — in exchange for the transfer of control of the Senate's committees.

Democrats, including Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, have said the party is unwilling to make that promise. That has left the chamber stuck at an impasse without establishing the new majority.

After two Democratic senators, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, voiced support for the longstanding rule, McConnell signaled a willingness to move forward.

He said in a statement: "Today two Democratic Senators publicly confirmed they will not vote to end the legislative filibuster. They agree with President Biden's and my view that no Senate majority should destroy the right of future minorities of both parties to help shape legislation.

"The legislative filibuster was a key part of the foundation beneath the Senate's last 50-50 power-sharing agreement in 2001. With these assurances, I look forward to moving ahead with a power-sharing agreement modeled on that precedent," he said.

It remains to be seen whether McConnell will follow through, drop his blockade and hand over the gavels of the Senate's powerful panels.

Nbcnews