Fetterman Critiques Democrats on Filibuster Use

Senator John Fetterman from Pennsylvania has accused his fellow Democrats of using the filibuster to potentially keep the government shut down indefinitely, despite previously campaigning for its elimination when he was in a position of power in the Senate.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, leading the majority of Senate Democrats, has utilized the filibuster to block bipartisan spending bills passed by the House on 11 occasions. Fetterman noted that many Democratic colleagues once favored repealing Senate rules when he was in control, but now seem to appreciate the 60-vote requirement for most legislation while in the minority.

“We did it. We did it to stop the filibuster, and now we like it,” Fetterman remarked to reporters on Tuesday. “I don’t want to hear Democrats clutching their pearls about the filibuster. We all voted for it.”

Under former President Joe Biden, Schumer led nearly all Democrats in a push to override the filibuster on voting rights legislation. Nonetheless, Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin, who switched to independent status, blocked Schumer’s attempt to use the nuclear option in January 2022, which would have altered Senate rules to allow a simple majority on certain bills.

Some Senate Democrats are now advocating for the removal of the 60-vote threshold, citing its problematic history and arguing that it’s a tool used by Republicans to undermine Democratic priorities.

Senator Ruben Gallego from Arizona has referred to the filibuster as a “relic of the Jim Crow era,” while California Senator Alex Padilla considers it a barrier to “progress.”

Interestingly, the Democrats’ shift on the filibuster comes as Schumer has employed it frequently to obstruct legislation supported by former President Trump since Republicans regained control of the Senate in January.

Since Trump assumed the presidency, Democrats have used the filibuster against various bills, including those enforcing sanctions on International Criminal Court officials and aimed at banning biological males from participating in women’s sports.

Fetterman was among a handful of Democrats who broke party lines to support a stopgap bill aimed at ending the government shutdown. His Pennsylvania colleagues are criticizing their peers for focusing on funding disputes while constituents are feeling the consequences.

Moreover, Fetterman urged Republicans to consider modifying or ending the filibuster for government funding bills to avoid future shutdowns. “It kind of carves it out for us moving forward,” he stated. “I support this bill because it will make it more difficult to shut down the government in the future, and that’s a completely appropriate point.”

Senate Republican leaders have continuously dismissed any suggestions of a filibuster exemption for government funding measures, although some rank-and-file Republicans, including Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno, are open to revising Senate rules.