WASHINGTON (AP) – Now that President Joe Biden is on the verge of his first big legislative victory, a key moderate Democrat says he may be open to changing Senate rules that could allow for more party-line votes to push through the White House’s agenda.
Sen. Joe Manchin says he wants to retain a procedural hurdle known as a filibuster and that major legislation should always have minority party input.
But Manchin suggests there could be ways to loosen the current requirement of 60 senators to allow for passage of bills.
Democrats are beginning to look to their next priorities after the Senate approved a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief plan on a party-line 50-49 vote Saturday. Final passage is expected Tuesday in the House.
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