No. 1 Priority for Congress Should Be Ending Obstructive 60-Vote Threshold
TUPELO, Miss.—Over one-eighth of the way into President Donald Trump’s term, Congress has yet to pass significant legislation, despite the fact that Republicans have control of the White House, Senate and House of Representatives.
As Congress returns to session, the American Family Association (AFA, www.afa.net) says lawmakers are squandering their chance to pass the conservative agenda promoted by the president, adding that the No. 1 priority should be ending the obstructive legislative filibuster.
“With a Republican majority, the Senate has the power to pass policies that many Americans voted for, but 30 Republican Senators have declared they support the ongoing obstruction from Democrats and oppose putting an end to the 60-vote threshold,” said AFA President Tim Wildmon. “As U.S. Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) recently wrote on the AFA blog The Stand, ‘It is time for America to abolish the 60-vote Senate rule’ to end the filibuster.”
In a recent Action Alert to its more than one million friends and supporters, AFA is urging concerned Americans to tell their senators to end Democratic obstruction and the legislative filibuster, especially with Congress returning to session today.
AFA also reported in the Action Alert that these 30 Republican Senators signed on to a letter authored by Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), which was sent to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), stating they are “opposing any effort to curtail the existing rights and prerogatives (including the 60 rule vote to end the Democrat filibuster) of Senators to engage in full, robust and extended debate as we (the Senate) consider legislation before the body in the future.”
Coons also noted that “Democrats want the Senate to work, and we are willing to partner with our colleagues across the aisle if we can get things done for the American people. We have a long way to go to heal the wounds between our two parties, but this letter is a small first step towards that important goal” (emphasis added).
Now, AFA hopes citizens will send strong communications to lawmakers in an effort to stop Democratic obstruction and end the legislative filibuster. Visitors to the AFA Action Alert page can contact senators here through AFA’s quick and easy alert form here.
“These 30 Senate Republicans, by refusing to stop the Democratic filibuster, are allowing the ongoing obstruction of Democrats in the name of ‘healing,’” Wildmon added. “Conservative Republicans know that Democrats will not cross the aisle to help pass a conservative agenda. Democrats oppose a conservative agenda that includes repealing Obamacare, funding the border wall, defunding sanctuary cities, passing Kate’s Law, defunding Planned Parenthood and applying the Hyde Amendment to ensure federal tax dollars do not fund abortion.”
Senate Democrats have long been obstructionists to a conservative agenda, Wildmon added, with the Democrats’ claim they are “willing to partner” with Republicans nothing more than political posturing and an empty promise to pass conservative legislation.
For more information on American Family Association, visit www.afa.net or follow AFA on Facebook or on Twitter @AmericanFamAssc. Read more about AFA.
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To interview a representative from the American Family Association, contact Beth Harrison, 610.584.1096, ext. 104, Media@HamiltonStrategies.com or Deborah Hamilton, 610.584.1096, ext. 102.