TPM: How Harry Reid And Mitch McConnell Could Upend Filibuster Reform

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How Harry Reid And Mitch McConnell Could Upend Filibuster Reform
Brian Beutler

December 30, 2010, 12:10PM


A handful of junior Democrats, including Sens. Tom Udall (D-NM) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), have done an impressive job building momentum for a package of modest, but meaningful, changes to the Senate's filibuster rules. But their plan could be completely upended and replaced by even more modest reforms, if Democratic and Republican leaders successfully negotiate a bipartisan rules reform compromise.

In a phone interview with me Wednesday, Udall described negotiations between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) as a "separate track" from his own efforts.

A Senate Democratic aide confirms that those discussions are ongoing, and haven't yet yielded consensus. But if they do, that consensus would serve as a stand-in for Udall's approach, not as an endorsement of it, as previous reporting has suggested.

So how much of their own power are Republicans willing to part with? Not much.

If this New York Times article is any indication, "Republicans would resist any changes involving the initial 'motion to proceed.'" That is, Republicans want to maintain the right to veto simply debating a piece of legislation.

But that's one of the three flanks of Udall's plan. The other two would ban the practice of placing secret holds on legislation and nominations, and resuscitate the "talking filibuster".

The Reid-McConnell talks are closely held, and there's no word yet on the exact contours of the negotiations.

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