After stepping off Marine One, President Joe Biden waved as he walked on the Ellipse. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Biden announced Tuesday night that he would open the door for the defuse of a portion of the filibuster in order to avoid default.
He stated that Democrats were looking into it and that it was "a real possibility."
Sinema and Manchin have resisted changing the threshold of 60 votes for filibuster, which is a long shot.
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On Tuesday night, President Joe Biden made it clear that he would open the door to a temporary hole in the filibuster in order to pass a debt limit hike. He said that it was "a real possibility" for Democrats to make a decision.
Biden stated earlier in the day that "there's not much left to do it through reconciliation". This refers to a legislative maneuver Democrats use to approve their social spending plans by relying on Democratic votes and bypassing the fierce GOP opposition.
Republicans, led Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell are blocking efforts to renew the US’s ability to pay its debts. They claim that Democrats must unilaterally approve a debt-limit increase in reconciliation. This is in the belief that it will cause them to lose politically sensitive votes and give them material for next year's campaign ads.
Democrats say both parties are responsible for repaying the debts they have accrued in recent years, especially under Trump's administration. On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stated that "if Republicans could just get out the damn way we could get this accomplished."
Senate Democrats balk at reconciliation. This is a dangerous maneuver to perform with just a few weeks before a crucial deadline. Many Democratic senators are beginning to favor a one-time filibuster exemption if it means avoiding default.
Insider was told Tuesday by Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Maryland.
Biden is one of those Democrats who has resisted the idea of using the "nuclear alternative" to alter the Senate's filibuster rules to allow them to prioritize immigration reform and gun control. The 60 vote threshold is required for most bills to become law. This is a difficult hurdle for Democrats in a 50-50 Senate.
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Biden's plans were blocked by the Senate Republicans, who successfully used the filibuster’s 60-vote threshold to block them. Some centrist Democrats like Senators have managed to overcome the GOP blockade. Senators Joe Manchin from West Virginia and Kyrsten Silenza of Arizona insist that the filibuster is a tool to encourage compromise with Republicans. To pass unilateral debt limit increases unilaterally and create a temporary exception, Senate Democrats would need their votes.
It was not immediately clear whether Manchin would allow the threat of economic disaster to convince him to give up his filibuster attachment. He told reporters Monday that he had forgotten about the filibuster.
Janet Yellen, Treasury Secretary, has warned that if Congress doesn't act by October 18, the US may default on all of its debt payments. Senior citizens could lose their Social Security checks if the US defaults. Federal unemployment benefits and government programs for low-income earners may also be affected.
Kimberly Leonard contributed reporting.
Business Insider has the original article.
