Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he’ll consider major changes to the Senate, including an end to the filibuster, if Democrats take back the majority in November.
“Everything is on the table,” Schumer, a New York Democrat, said Tuesday. “My Senate Democratic colleagues and candidates know America needs some change, and we’re going to figure out the best way to do it.”
Schumer is furious at the GOP for pledging to hold a vote on a nominee to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died Friday.
Even though Republicans are not breaking any rules by taking up a nominee, Schumer said the Senate should honor Ginsburg’s dying wish that the seat be left vacant until the next president is sworn into office.
Democrats are now threatening to pack the high court by expanding it beyond the current nine seats and filling them with their own nominees.
To accomplish this and other big changes they are weighing, the party is edging closer to a push to end the legislative filibuster, which would clear the way for the majority to pass bills with just 51 votes instead of the usual 60.
Democrat may use that change to try to create new states out of the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, two Democratic strongholds.
Schumer has refused to say what changes he would support if he becomes majority leader in January.
Democrats now hold 47 seats, and the GOP controls 53.
“All I’ve said is our first job is to get the majority back, and everything is on the table,” Schumer said. “Everything is on the table. We are going to look at how we can produce change.”
Democrats have little ability to block the GOP confirmation of a new Justice. Only 51 votes are needed, thanks to rules changes made over the years by both parties to eliminate the filibuster for nominees.
Schumer invoked one of his few powers on Tuesday and blocked the Senate from holding afternoon committee hearings, which requires bipartisan consent.
Republicans said the move prevented the Senate from holding a critical hearing on election security, which is an issue Democrats complain the GOP has been ignoring.
Schumer said he blocked the hearing “because we can’t have business as usual when Republicans are destroying the institution, as they have done.”
