New Majority Leader Thune begins the Senate session with a promise to keep the filibuster

WASHINGTON (AP) – New Senate Majority Leader John Thune begins the new session with a promise to end the filibuster, saying in his first speech as leader that his first priority is “making sure the Senate stays the Senate.”

Thune, R.D., and Senate Republicans took office Friday a little more than two weeks before Donald Trump’s inauguration, strengthening the GOP stronghold in Washington. And Thune will have to navigate his new responsibilities with a new president, who has made it clear he expects loyalty from Congress — and has previously called for an end to the filibuster.

Opening the Senate’s two-year session on Friday after the swearing-in of new and returning senators, Thune said a legislative trick that allows senators to delay consideration of a measure and requires 60 votes to pass “has a significant impact on maintaining the vision of the founders. of the Senate.”

“There are many people out there who would like to see the Senate become a copy of the House of Representatives,” said Thune. “And that’s not what our founders intended or what our country needs.”

Senate Republicans have long maintained that the filibuster remains in place despite Trump’s calls to end it and accelerate his agenda during the first half of his first term, when Republicans also controlled the White House and Congress. Most Democrats wanted to end the debate in the early days of President Joe Biden’s term, but were blocked by moderates in the Senate Democratic caucus who said it would deliberately improve the role of the Senate. Former West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, DW.V., called it “the holy grail of democracy.”

Although Republicans are not yet ready to end the filibuster, which would make it difficult to win some votes in the new 53-47 Senate, they are preparing to try and quickly pass Trump’s agenda through an evasive legislative approach. Like the Democrats under Biden, they plan to use a process called budget reconciliation that will allow them to approve bills with party votes, with a simple majority. The top priorities will be border security and renewing the tax cuts from Trump’s first term.

The Senate will also have to approve Trump’s Cabinet nominees, some of whom already have skepticism from Republican senators, once he is inaugurated on January 20. Hearings are expected to begin before then.

Thune was nominated by the GOP convention in November to replace Mitch McConnell, the longtime Republican leader who announced last year that he would remain in the Senate but step down from the leadership. Outgoing Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who will remain the leader of the Democratic Alliance, advised Thune in a floor speech on Friday to act within the law, pointing to bills such as the infrastructure package passed by the majority of the Democratic Alliance during the first half of the Biden presidency.

“The majority leader sets the tone and that voice determines to a large extent how successful we will be going forward,” Schumer said.

It is not clear, however, how much power or desire Thune will need to be bipartisan since Trump has pressured him to already bypass Senate rules and pass other nominees to his Cabinet without votes.

Ahead of the inevitable party battles, there was excitement on Friday as nine new senators – four Democrats and five Republicans – were sworn in. Vice President Kamala Harris presided as they approached the arena in groups of four, along with returning senators, taking the oath of office and signing a ceremonial letter. Vice President-elect JD Vance, now a senator from Ohio, was also on the floor and stood with new Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno, a Republican who defeated Democrat Sherrod Brown, during his swearing-in.

Two newly elected Democrats were sworn in last month to fill vacancies and will be sworn in again on Friday. California Senator Adam Schiff has been nominated to fill the seat of Sen. The late Democrat Dianne Feinstein and New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim replace former Sen. Bob Menendez, who resigned last year after being convicted of federal bribery charges.

A sixth Republican, Jim Justice from West Virginia, announced last month that he will wait to enter the Senate until West Virginia governor Patrick Morrisey is sworn in on January 13.

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Associated Press writer John Raby contributed from Charleston, West Virginia.