Sen. John Thune (R-SD) will promise to maintain the filibuster on Friday afternoon in his first speech as Senate majority leader.

“One of my priorities as leader will be to ensure that the Senate stays the Senate,” Thune will say, according to excerpts of his floor remarks provided to the Washington Examiner. “That means preserving the legislative filibuster — the Senate rule that today has perhaps the greatest impact in preserving the Founders’ vision of the Senate.”