More Senate Democrats See Filibuster as Barrier to Biden Agenda
- Manchin showed new openness to changing the procedure
- Senate rules require 60-vote threshold for most legislation
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Some moderate Democrats are warming to calls to change or eliminate Senate rules that require 60 votes to pass most legislation, as progressive priorities passed by the House on voting rights, police reforms and LGBTQ protections are stalled by a Senate Republican minority.
The filibuster, which originally allowed one senator to hold up legislation by speaking on the floor until 60 senators vote to end debate, has become so commonplace that many bills aren’t even brought up for a vote if they don’t have that level of support. The practice gives the minority power to block measures that are broadly popular.