GOP lawmakers push filibuster reform, reconciliation to ram bills through Senate

As Senate Majority Leader John Thune resists pressure to reform chamber rules to pass legislation without Democratic support, some fellow Republicans in the House are ramping up their efforts to make the upper chamber advance the Trump agenda.

At present, the Senate filibuster effectively requires 60 votes for legislation to advance, making the passage of marquee legislation more difficult. (Right now, Republicans have just 53 of the 100 Senate seats.)

Republicans and Democrats alike have for years bemoaned their inability to advance key priorities under the current system. Now, with the midterms fast approaching and with Republicans having little to show for their time in the majority, some lawmakers want to go on offense, particularly to pass the SAVE America Act, a voter ID bill that has strong support among the Republican base.

"I hope that the Senate will consider taking up reconciliation and doing a comprehensive reconciliation package, and yes, the SAVE AMERICA Act," said Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., during an appearance this week on the "John Solomon Reports" podcast. "Of course ... you can't just pass policy as budget related, so we're looking to do that."

Reconciliation is a procedural maneuver through which the Senate can advance budget-related legislation with a simple majority and thereby bypass the filibuster threshold. The process is subject to the oversight of the Senate parliamentarian, however, and she may overrule specific attempts to include non-budget items in the reconciliation process.

But some Republicans see the prospect of a future Democratic-led Senate moving first to end the filibuster and advance their priorities as a near certainty and want to move first to score some points with voters before the election.

"The Democrats are going to nuke the filibuster, pack the court and undo that and undo Dobbs," said Texas GOP Rep. Chip Roy, referring to the 2022 Supreme Court decision that declared that authority to regulate abortion is returned to elected state officials, during his recent appearance on "John Solomon Reports."

They are committed. They are absolutely undeterred. So I think the Senate ought to modify the rules. Make sure that we can get on offense and win over enough Americans to deliver on the president's agenda. So we stay in office longer. Because right now, look, the [midterm] election is going to be a little shaky if we don't get on offense. Lots of good things happening, but we got to deliver in Congress."

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.