The filibuster, a Senate rule that typically requires 60 votes to advance legislation, has long been a point of contention in Washington.
What is the nuclear option in the Senate?
The “nuclear option” in the U.S. Senate refers to a parliamentary procedure that allows the Senate to change its rules, specifically those governing the filibuster, by a simple majority vote (51 votes) instead of the usual two-thirds supermajority (67 votes) required to amend Senate rules.
US President Donald Trump
is calling on the Senate to scrap the filibuster so that the Republican majority can bypass Democrats and reopen the federal government.
“THE CHOICE IS CLEAR INITIATE THE ‘NUCLEAR OPTION,’ GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER,” Trump posted Thursday night on his social media site, Truth Social.
Trump spent the previous week meeting with foreign leaders in Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea, concluding his trip with a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
He described the trip as a success, citing a trade truce with China and promises of foreign investment in U.S. industries. However, he noted that one recurring question during his visit was why “powerful Republicans allowed” Democrats to shut down parts of the government.
What is a filibuster?
The filibuster, a Senate rule that typically requires 60 votes to advance legislation, has long been a point of contention in Washington. Trump pointed out that several Democratic senators, including those under then-President Joe Biden, had previously called for changes to the rule to safeguard voting rights and abortion access.
What are filibusters in government?
Filibusters became more frequent in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, leading to serious debate about changing Senate rules to curtail the practice. At that point, the Senate had grown larger and busier, and the sheer amount of work to be done in each session meant that a filibustering senator could disrupt the progress of the body and gain concessions from senators who wanted to get their bills passed.
Type of filibuster
The type of filibuster most familiar to Americans is the marathon speech by a small group of senators, or even a single senator, such as the filibuster staged by fictional senator Jefferson Smith in Frank Capra’s 1939 film Mr Smith Goes to Washington.
There have been several notable filibusters in the history of the U.S. Senate. In 1917, for instance, Wisconsin Senator Robert La Follette used the tactic to advocate for free speech during wartime.
Money for military, but not food
The White House has moved money around to ensure the military is paid, but refuses to tap funds for food aid. In fact, Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” signed into law this summer, delivered the most substantial cut ever to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, projected to result in some 2.4 million people off the program.
At the same time, many Americans who purchase their own health insurance through the federal and state marketplaces, with open enrollment also beginning Saturday, are experiencing sticker shock as premium prices jump.
“We are holding food over the heads of poor people so that we can take away their health care,” said Rev. Ryan Stoess, during a prayer with religious leaders at the U.S. Capitol.
“God help us,” he said, “when the cruelty is the point.”
Deadlines shift to next week
The House has been closed down under Johnson for the past month. Senators are preparing to depart on Thursday for the long weekend. Trump returns late Thursday after a whirlwind tour of Asia.
That means the shutdown, in its 30th day, appears likely to stretch into another week if the filibuster remains. If the shutdown continues, it could become the longest in history, surpassing the 35-day lapse that ended in 2019, during Trump’s first term, over his demands to build the U.S.-Mexico border wall.
