Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) vowed on Monday that he will push a vote on changing the Senate rules by January 17, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, if Republicans continue to oppose his party’s voting rights bill.
“If Republicans continue to block our efforts, The Senate will debate and consider changes to Senate rules on or before January 17, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, to protect the foundation of our democracy: Free and fair elections,” Schumer tweeted.
If Republicans continue to block our efforts,
The Senate will debate and consider changes to Senate rules on or before January 17, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, to protect the foundation of our democracy:
Free and fair elections.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) January 3, 2022
Schumer also sent a letter on Monday to the members of the Senate Democratic Caucus regarding the issue.
“The fight for the ballot is as old as the Republic. Over the coming weeks, the Senate will once again consider how to perfect this union and confront the historic challenges facing our democracy,” Schumer wrote.
“We hope our Republican colleagues change course and work with us. But if they do not, the Senate will debate and consider changes to Senate rules on or before January 17, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, to protect the foundation of our democracy: free and fair elections,” he added.
Make no mistake: This week, @SenateDems will make clear what happened on January 6th is directly linked to the one-sided, partisan actions being taken by GOP-led state legislatures across the country. We can and must take strong action to stop this anti-democratic march. pic.twitter.com/tLkpfObZAS
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) January 3, 2022
In addition, Schumer connected the new vow to the events of January 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol Building.
“Let me be clear: January 6th was a symptom of a broader illness, an effort to delegitimize our election process, and the Senate must advance systemic reforms to repair our democracy or else the events of that day will not be an aberration—they will be the new norm,” the senator wrote.
Let me be clear: January 6th was a symptom of a broader illness, an effort to delegitimize our election process, and the Senate must advance systemic reforms to repair our democracy or else the events of that day will not be an aberration—they will be the new norm.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) January 3, 2022
Schumer’s reference to changing the rules includes more than only voting rights legislation. Senate Democrats have increasingly discussed efforts to end the filibuster, a longstanding rule that requires a 60-vote supermajority to pass most legislation among the Senate’s 100 members.
However, making a rules change would require all 50 Democrats siding with the party. In a 50-50 tie vote, the vice president is given the opportunity to vote. So far, both West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin and Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema have voiced their opposition to the effort.
The filibuster has held back many of President Joe Biden’s major legislative efforts since he has taken office. Despite controlling the House and 50 members in the Senate, the 60-vote requirement has slowed the Build Back Better bill and other progressive bills passed by Democrats in the House.