Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) in his first ready tackle as Senate majority chief says “preserving” the filibuster shall be one among his high priorities, making an early transfer to quash any speak of main filibuster reform ought to President-elect Trump’s agenda stall in Congress.
“One of my priorities as leader will be to ensure that the Senate stays the Senate. That means preserving the legislative filibuster — the Senate rule that today has perhaps the greatest impact in preserving the Founders’ vision of the Senate,” Thune mentioned in ready remarks obtained by The Hill.
The Senate begins the brand new Congress on Friday afternoon, and Thune is anticipated to make the remarks from the ground someday after the Senate opens for enterprise at midday.
Thune and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) each pledged to protect the filibuster after they ran within the fall to succeed outgoing Senate Republican Chief Mitch McConnell (Ky.).
McConnell famously rebuffed Trump’s calls to reform the filibuster throughout his first White Home time period.
In 2017, Trump referred to as on Senate Republicans to ditch the filibuster when it threatened to gradual his agenda.
“Republicans in the Senate will NEVER win if they don’t go to a 51 vote majority NOW. They look like fools and are just wasting time,” he wrote on the time.
Thune, nevertheless, will say Friday in his remarks that he desires to revive the Senate “as a place of discussion and deliberation.”
“That includes empowering committees, restoring regular order, and engaging in extended debate on the Senate floor, where all members should have a chance to make their voices – and the voices of their constituents – heard,” he’ll say.
He declares that Republicans “have a lot to do this Congress.”
He ticked off border safety, extending the Trump-era Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, deregulation, border safety and protection spending as gadgets atop the GOP agenda.
He additionally pledges to revive order to the dysfunctional congressional appropriations course of, which stays in a state of limbo after Congress handed a stopgap authorities funding measure lasting till March 14.
Thune mentioned he desires to deliver appropriations payments “to the floor for serious deliberation, so that we make the best possible use of taxpayer dollars.”
He additionally requires motion on “an overdue farm bill to update farm programs for famers and ranchers to reflect current agricultural needs.”
“The list goes on,” he’ll say.
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