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Dear Friend,
President Joe Biden just took a HUGE step toward reforming the filibuster.
In an interview this week, the president came out in favor of the “talking filibuster,” which would force Republicans to actually stand up and talk in order to block legislation—and then when senators are too tired to speak, legislation would be allowed to go forward to a final vote.1
This is a big step toward getting the last of the Senate Democrats on board with ending the filibuster as a tool of all-out obstruction. We’re mobilizing grassroots pressure on the remaining Senate Democrats, including Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin, to end the filibuster so we can finally start passing legislation on net neutrality, voting rights, and more.
Will you donate to Demand Progress and help end the filibuster?
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Mitch McConnell has made it very clear that he and his Republican caucus have no interest in coming to consensus or compromise. They only want to block any and all progressive legislation.2
The American Rescue Plan Act—the COVID-19 relief bill that just passed in Congress—had strong bipartisan support in the public, with 61 percent support across parties.3 But it didn’t receive a single Republican vote in the Senate.4 The bill only passed because Democrats could use a special procedure that they won’t be able to use again for a long time.
Republicans have already used the filibuster to shut down the $15 minimum wage, and they’ve committed to blocking H.R. 1, the landmark voting-access bill, as soon as it comes up for a vote.5
If the filibuster isn’t overturned now, we don’t need a crystal ball to see what the next two years will bring—bill after important bill passed by the House of Representatives and then blocked by Mitch McConnell. Biden’s agenda will never get off the ground.
We have been pushing letters to the Senate holdouts to change their minds on the filibuster, and we know the pressure is working. Manchin has already opened the door to changing the rule, and Arizonans are asking Sinema to reverse course, too.6,7 We’re so close to kicking the filibuster to the curb. Will you help us cross the finish line?
Yes, I’ll donate to Demand Progress.
Thanks for standing with us.
Robert Cruickshank,
Demand Progress
Sources:
1. The Washington Post, "Opinion: Biden just fired a warning shot at Mitch McConnell and Republicans," March 17, 2021
2. CNN, "Mitch McConnell warns Democrats that overhauling filibuster rules will lead to 'completely scorched earth Senate'," March 16, 2021
3. USA Today, "Polls find most Americans support Biden's COVID-19 stimulus package," March 10, 2021
4. Vox, "Republicans shamelessly take credit for Covid relief they voted against," March 15, 2021
5. The Washington Post, "H.R. 1 can’t pass the Senate. But here are some voting reforms that could.," March 16, 2021
6. Vox, "Joe Manchin opens the door to filibuster reform," March 7, 2021
7. Vox, "Poll: 61 percent of Arizonans say passing major bills is more important than keeping the filibuster," March 9, 2021
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