In a bid to attract Republican support for filibuster reform, Democrats led by Sens. Tom Udall (D-NM) and Jeff Merkley have proposed a new rule that would guarantee the minority party the chance to offer three amendments to any legislation.
It may have worked too well. A senior Senate Republican leadership aide says GOP members would be “giddy” if they were given that right.
Here’s why. Those amendments would be filibuster-proof — among the only pieces of legislation in all the Senate to enjoy that privilege — and would therefore be a recipe for poison pill amendments on both sides.
For Republicans, now in the minority, that would mean a chance to get up or down votes on repealing health care and other conservative priorities.
The same aide cautioned that Democratic leadership would ultimately balk at this proposal. And indeed it’s part of a framework that is expected to change as the rules reform process continues.
But this is the sort of fig leaf Republicans will likely need if they’re to sign on to any significant rules reforms.
Brian Beutler
Brian Beutler is TPM's senior congressional reporter. Since 2009, he's led coverage of health care reform, Wall Street reform, taxes, the GOP budget, the government shutdown fight, and the debt limit fight. He can be reached at brian@talkingpointsmemo.com.
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