President Biden isn’t backing a Democratic-led effort to get rid of the Senate’s filibuster procedure as Senate leadership struggles to agree on a power-sharing deal.
“He has spoken to this many times. His position has not changed,” Psaki told reporters Friday.
Biden, a 36-year senator who sat in the chamber in both the majority and minority, has reiterated his support for the filibuster. Removing the rule would mean Biden could pass his more controversial bills with the Democratic 50-seat majority plus Vice President Kamala Harris, rather than a supermajority of 60.
Biden did tell the New York Times last summer his stance against nixing the filibuster could shift.
“It’s going to depend on how obstreperous they become,” he said, referring to Republicans.
This week, Psaki has sidestepped the question as liberal Democrats push for its removal, stalling Senate negotiations between Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell over an organizing resolution.
Psaki topped her briefing Friday by unveiling Biden’s response to the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol building attack: He’ll ask newly confirmed Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines to conduct “a comprehensive threat assessment,” and he’ll add a domestic terrorism team to his White House National Security Council.
She also revealed Biden had spoken with Gen. Daniel Hokanson, head of the National Guard, and “asked him to reach out if there was anything that he ever needed.” National Guard members resting in the Capitol had been temporarily moved to a nearby parking garage. They were later allowed back in the building, a place where they’ve been having breaks since being sent to Washington, D.C., for Biden’s inauguration.
Biden on Friday rolled out a slate of executive actions aimed at kick-starting the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic. Psaki defended the administration’s COVID-19 vaccination targets and urged the Senate to multi-task on a third virus-related relief package after the House sends its article of impeachment against former President Donald Trump to the chamber for a trial on Monday.
In follow-ups to questions she deferred earlier in the week, Psaki restated Biden’s support of Washington, D.C., statehood.
“I can confirm for you the president has not spent a moment thinking about the color scheme of Air Force One,” she added.
