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Obama supports Senate rule change to curb filibusters | |
(35 minutes later) | |
US President Barack Obama has supported a motion passed by Senate Democrats which weakens Republicans' ability to block White House nominations. | |
The measure, known as the "nuclear option", curbs the power of the upper chamber's minority party to use a blocking tactic known as a filibuster. | |
Mr Obama said the practice had gone too far, and was "not normal". | |
Republicans vowed they would use the new rule against Democrats if they won back the Senate in the next election. | Republicans vowed they would use the new rule against Democrats if they won back the Senate in the next election. |
Correspondents said Thursday's motion, which passed 52-48, will make US politics even more acrimonious. | |
'Power grab' | |
At the White House on Thursday, Mr Obama accepted that neither party had been blameless in filibusters. | |
But he said it was unacceptable that nearly 30 of his nominees had been targeted using the tactic since he took office in 2009. | |
The US leader called it an "unprecedented pattern of obstruction in Congress", using "arcane procedural tactics" to block qualified candidates. | |
"A deliberate and determined effort to obstruct everything, no matter what the merits, just to refight the results of an election, is not normal," he said. | |
Under the rule change, the party in control of the upper chamber of the US Congress now requires just 51 votes, instead of 60, to overcome a filibuster of White House judicial or executive nominations. | Under the rule change, the party in control of the upper chamber of the US Congress now requires just 51 votes, instead of 60, to overcome a filibuster of White House judicial or executive nominations. |
Democrats currently have 55 seats in the Senate; Republicans 45. | Democrats currently have 55 seats in the Senate; Republicans 45. |
Thursday's motion does not affect Supreme Court nominations or regular legislation. | Thursday's motion does not affect Supreme Court nominations or regular legislation. |
It is viewed as the most significant rule change since 1975, when the requirement to end any filibuster on the Senate floor was decreased from two-thirds of all senators to the current 60. | It is viewed as the most significant rule change since 1975, when the requirement to end any filibuster on the Senate floor was decreased from two-thirds of all senators to the current 60. |
"This is a power grab," argued Senator Lamar Alexander. "It's another partisan political manoeuvre to permit the Democratic majority to do whatever it wants to do." | "This is a power grab," argued Senator Lamar Alexander. "It's another partisan political manoeuvre to permit the Democratic majority to do whatever it wants to do." |
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and his fellow Democrats - who control the chamber for now - had repeatedly warned they might ram through the motion. | |
In July, Democrats set aside a threat to do so only after Republicans dropped their long-standing objections to several White House nominees. | In July, Democrats set aside a threat to do so only after Republicans dropped their long-standing objections to several White House nominees. |
Earlier this week, Senate Republicans filibustered the nomination of a judge to a key appeals court, the third such move since October. Democrats could not muster enough votes to overcome the manoeuvre. | Earlier this week, Senate Republicans filibustered the nomination of a judge to a key appeals court, the third such move since October. Democrats could not muster enough votes to overcome the manoeuvre. |
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Democrats had themselves used the filibuster during the two terms of President George W Bush. | |
"You may regret this a lot sooner than you think," Mr McConnell, the Senate's top Republican, said on the chamber floor. | |
Republican Senator Chuck Grassley told the Washington Post earlier that if the motion passed, his party would retaliate if it regained control of the chamber. | |
He said they would change the rules again to block any Democratic filibusters of Republican Supreme Court nominees. | He said they would change the rules again to block any Democratic filibusters of Republican Supreme Court nominees. |