“And if all of this requires removing the filibuster, another Jim Crow relic, to secure the God-given rights of every American, then that’s what we should do,” he said.
The former president’s comments come as calls to remove the filibuster have grown louder within the Democratic Party during an election year in which Democrats hope to win back the White House and are also fighting for the majority in the Senate.
Obama said: “Once we pass the John Lewis Rights Voting Act, we must continue to march to further improve by making sure that every American automatically registers to vote, including former inmates, who have obtained their second chance. add polling places, and expand early voting and make Election Day a national holiday. “
He went on to say, “By ensuring that all American citizens have equal representation in our government, including American citizens living in Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico, they are Americans. By ending some of the partisan gerrymanderings, that all Voters have the power to choose their politicians, not the other way around. “
After endorsing those priorities, he called for the removal of the filibuster if necessary to achieve them.
The filibuster is a procedural tool that senators can use to delay or block a vote on legislation or an appointment. It can be used as a tactic for legislators to hold a debate without interruption indefinitely.
Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said on the matter of ending the filibuster that nothing is off the table, and that the issue will be discussed if Democrats win the majority. But neither has he explicitly endorsed ending it.
Some Democrats, and many Republicans, are wary of removing a tool that forces bipartisan consensus on major bills and gives the minority party an opportunity to block measures it considers egregious.
Under existing rules, senators have to gain significant bipartisan support to obtain legislation through the slow corps. That means that for any policy measure there must be 60 votes to overcome a filibuster.
In 2013, Democrats used the so-called “nuclear option” to lower the threshold to exceed a filibuster from 60 votes to 50 for executive branch nominees and judicial appointments, with the exception of Supreme Court nominees. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell later used the same controversial technique to lower the threshold for 2017 Supreme Court nominees to put Neil Gorsuch in superior court.
Former Vice President Joe Biden has expressed his openness to ending the filibuster to advance the Democratic agenda if he is elected president and his party retakes the Senate, a move that would significantly limit the Republican Party’s power to lower its ambitions.
Vermont Independent Senator Bernie Sanders released a statement of support Thursday in response to Obama’s speech.
“President Obama is absolutely right. It is an outrage that today’s poll taxes, identification requirements, and other forms of voter suppression still exist today. We must adopt a comprehensive agenda to guarantee rights and dignity. of everyone in this country And that means, among other things, reauthorizing and expanding the Voting Rights Act, for which Congressman John Lewis risked his life. As President Obama said, if that requires us to eliminate the filibuster, then that is what we should do. “said the senator.
However, not all Democratic senators have fully or publicly accepted the concept.
Democratic Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, who was asked to respond to Obama’s comments on Thursday, said: “Many of us are seriously considering that possibility, but I am not ready to compromise at this time.”
CNN’s Devan Cole and Manu Raju contributed to this report.
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