“The split in the Senate, in terms of a filibuster, is [between] those of us who believe that Democrats will [get rid of] it next time they have the power, and those who are hoping beyond hope that they won’t.”
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Republican Senator Ron Johnson suggested that Senate Republicans should consider eliminating the filibuster, calling Democrats “obstructionist” and blaming them for the ongoing Department of Homeland Security funding impasse in Congress.
Speaking on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures, Johnson blasted Democrats for their refusal to support a DHS funding agreement that includes money for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Johnson argued that Republicans should act preemptively, warning that Democrats would likely eliminate the filibuster themselves when they regain control of the Senate.
“The split in the Senate, in terms of a filibuster, is [between] those of us who believe that Democrats will [get rid of] it next time they have the power, and those who are hoping beyond hope that they won’t,” Johnson explained.
He proposed using the reconciliation process, which allows certain budget-related legislation to pass with a simple majority, to bypass the 60-vote threshold and secure DHS funding.
“Let’s get as much DHS funding as possible, move to reconciliation, pass a reconciliation bill focused on DHS funding through fiscal year 2029, and then be ready for another reconciliation to fund the rest of government, starting in October, when Democrats obstruct the regular order appropriation process,” he said.
Johnson acknowledged that there are not enough Senate Republicans on board to get a vote passed to remove the filibuster, but argued that the Senate’s current rules are “broken” and hinder progress.
Last week, Johnson authored an op-ed calling for the filibuster to come to an end if the Senate fails to pass the SAVE America Act.
“I’ll admit that the 60-vote cloture threshold has prevented many bad bills from becoming law, and that without it bad bills would become law more easily. But it also prevents good bills from getting passed,” Johnson wrote.
“At a minimum, if the SAVE America Act fails to pass, the Senate should immediately debate and vote on a rule change (requiring 67 votes) to end the filibuster. It would be interesting to see whether Democrats would vote yes when Republicans are in power. Forcing them to defend the rule now could politically shame them into preserving it later: It’s the only chance I see of dissuading them from voting yes once they regain power,” he added.
