Sen. Lindsey Graham on Thursday said he did not support ending the legislative filibuster as he introduced legislation to ban abortions after 20 weeks.
The South Carolina Republican said he expects the abortion ban to pass the Senate with “60 votes over the arc of time. The best way to protect the pro-life issue and to pass this bill is to build consensus and get 60 votes and not turn the Senate into the House.”
He said conservatives needed to take the long view about the filibuster.
“Democrats have been more in charge of this place than we have by a factor of three,” he said.
A version of the ban passed the House this week by a 237-189 vote but appears likely to fail in the Senate because Republicans do not have the 60 votes needed to break a filibuster.
He added that the last time the bill was brought up, in 2015, it received support from three Democrats.
Some Republicans in the House and President Trump have called for an end to the legislative filibuster.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has been reticent to end the filibuster, though. He has not said if he will bring up the bill for a vote, but Graham said he is confident that he will. He later told the Washington Examiner he has spoken with McConnell about the legislation.
Republicans have a 52-48 majority and would need eight Democrats to reach 60 votes needed to halt a filibuster, assuming all Republicans voted for the ban.
Trump’s support of the ban could open up McConnell to new attacks from the president to end the legislative filibuster.
Trump has repeatedly called on McConnell to end the filibuster, often referring to the failed vote on Obamacare repeal. However, Republicans have not had 50 votes on any Obamacare repeal bill as the GOP failed four times to pass legislation this year.
Some House lawmakers also are calling for an end to the legislative filibuster.
Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., who sponsored the House bill, told the Washington Examiner before the House vote that the Senate needed to ditch the filibuster.
He pointed to Republicans agreeing to end the filibuster on Supreme Court nominees, which led to the confirmation of conservative Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch.
“There is a growing recognition that Democrats intend to change the rule as soon as they are in full power again anyways,” Franks said.
