Andy Kroll in Rolling Stone: “President Joe Biden and his advisers have said in recent weeks that Biden will pressure wavering Democrats to support reforming the filibuster if necessary to pass the voting bill.”
Eli Zupnick of Fix Our Senate: “We have never been closer to finally eliminating the outdated and abused Senate filibuster”
Earlier this month: ‘Not a Moment to Waste’ – 118 Organizations Call on Senate Democrats to Finally Address Filibuster, Pass Strong Voting Rights and Democracy Legislation
WASHINGTON, DC — As the U.S. Senate comes back in session today, Andy Kroll of Rolling Stone reports that President Biden and the White House are preparing a “lobbying blitz” to convince Senate Democrats to finally reform the filibuster to deliver essential voting and democracy legislation. The news represents a significant breakthrough in President Biden’s involvement and is the latest sign of growing urgency and mounting pressure on Senate Democrats to finally address the filibuster to protect rights and deliver progress.
Eli Zupnick, spokesman for Fix Our Senate, said:
“We are very glad to see President Biden preparing to jump into this fight to finally tackle the attacks on democracy that he called 'Jim Crow on steroids' and the filibuster that stands in the way. We have never been closer to finally eliminating the outdated and abused Senate filibuster, and millions of people across the country are going to continue making their voices heard until it gets done."
Below, find key excerpts from the Rolling Stone article, available online in full at the following link: “Biden Tells Top Democrats He’s Preparing Lobbying Blitz on Filibuster Reform, Voting Rights”
“With a make-or-break vote looming in the Senate on a sweeping voting-rights and anti-corruption bill, President Joe Biden and his advisers have said in recent weeks that Biden will pressure wavering Democrats to support reforming the filibuster if necessary to pass the voting bill.
According to three people briefed on the White House’s position and its recent communications with outside groups, Biden assured Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that he was ready to push for filibuster reform.
… [This summer] Biden made a pledge: If Pelosi and Schumer tried every option they had to pass a voting-rights bill with Republican votes and got nowhere, Biden would get involved himself and lobby the handful of moderate Democrats to convince them to weaken the filibuster so that the For the People Act could pass without any Republican votes.
Since then, the tenor has shifted in the White House in the last month, multiple sources tell Rolling Stone. The White House has devoted more staff to the issue. More importantly, it has given assurances to outside supporters that Biden now plans to push for filibuster reform when necessary.”