Manchin, Sinema Dash Biden Hopes for Filibuster Change on Abortion
President Joe Biden on Thursday proposed that U.S. senators remove a legislative roadblock to restoring abortion rights that were taken away by the Supreme Court last week, a suggestion that was shot down by aides to key Democrat lawmakers.
Biden's proposal to temporarily lift the Senate "filibuster" was rejected by aides to Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin.
Biden told a news conference at a NATO conference in Madrid that "we have to" pass laws making abortion a right in all 50 U.S. states.
"If the filibuster gets in the way - it's like voting rights - it should be we provide an exception for this," said Biden, a Democrat. Without sufficient votes in Congress to suspend the legislative filibuster, Biden's statement is more of a gesture than a policy plan.
A spokesman for Manchin and an aide to Sinema, who both have opposed suspending the filibuster in the past, told Reuters Thursday that their respective positions had not changed.
Biden would very likely need their votes for Congress to sidestep the filibuster and pass a law to protect the federal right to abortion.
White House officials did not immediately offer any more details on what the president's strategy would be, or who in the administration would make it a reality.
Biden's proposal to temporarily lift the Senate "filibuster" was rejected by aides to Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin.
Biden told a news conference at a NATO conference in Madrid that "we have to" pass laws making abortion a right in all 50 U.S. states.
"If the filibuster gets in the way - it's like voting rights - it should be we provide an exception for this," said Biden, a Democrat. Without sufficient votes in Congress to suspend the legislative filibuster, Biden's statement is more of a gesture than a policy plan.
A spokesman for Manchin and an aide to Sinema, who both have opposed suspending the filibuster in the past, told Reuters Thursday that their respective positions had not changed.
Biden would very likely need their votes for Congress to sidestep the filibuster and pass a law to protect the federal right to abortion.
White House officials did not immediately offer any more details on what the president's strategy would be, or who in the administration would make it a reality.
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