Trump Calls On Republicans To Abolish Filibuster

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By Amber Randall

President Donald Trump called on Senate Republicans to abolish the filibuster and allow bills to pass with a simple majority in a Friday morning tweet, saying the move is necessary to pass “great legislation.”

“If Republicans are going to pass great future legislation in the Senate, they must immediately go to a 51 vote majority, not senseless 60,” Trump tweeted. “Even though parts of healthcare could pass at 51, some really good things need 60. So many great future bills & budgets need 60 votes.”

If Republicans are going to pass great future legislation in the Senate, they must immediately go to a 51 vote majority, not senseless 60…

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 28, 2017

…Even though parts of healthcare could pass at 51, some really good things need 60. So many great future bills & budgets need 60 votes….

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 28, 2017

The tweets comes after Senate Republicans failed to advance their motion to debate their “skinny repeal,” a lighter version of a complete overhaul of Obamacare.

Under Senate rules, a filibuster, the process in which senators can delay a vote by speaking, can only be ended by a 60 vote majority by senators. One way the Senate can overcome a filibuster is through “budget reconciliation,” which only needs 51 votes to get legislation through.