High Country Advocate – Staff Report
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) has renewed her call for the Senate to abolish its 60-vote cloture rule, arguing that the decades-old supermajority requirement has become a weapon of political obstruction. Greene contends that the rule allows a minority—or even a handful of absent senators—to block urgent national priorities such as defense funding and fiscal reform. “A simple majority should be enough to govern,” she said recently.
A Rule Built for Debate, Not Deadlock
Under Senate Rule XXII, ending debate on most legislation requires three-fifths of all senators—currently 60 votes. Even if 51 lawmakers support a bill, the minority can stop it by refusing cloture. That’s exactly what happened on October 16, when the defense-funding bill failed 50-44.
Both Parties Have Used the “Nuclear Option”
The filibuster’s erosion spans decades: In 2013, Democrat Harry Reid lowered the threshold to 51 votes for most executive nominations. In 2017, Republican Mitch McConnell extended that precedent to Supreme Court nominees. In 2025, Senate Majority Leader John Thune used a partial nuclear option to confirm dozens of executive-branch nominees as a bloc, bypassing 60-vote cloture for each.
Biden, Schumer, and Harris Tried—and Failed—in 2022
In January 2022, President Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer attempted to eliminate the 60-vote rule for voting-rights legislation by invoking the nuclear option. Vice President Kamala Harris strongly supported the move, arguing that the filibuster was obstructing “basic constitutional rights” and pledging to “do whatever it takes” to pass federal voting-rights protections. The motion failed 52-48 when Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) voted against changing the rules. Every other Democrat—including Harris’s tie-breaking authority—stood ready to approve the change. Had Democrats secured 51 votes, the filibuster would have been abolished for that legislation. Their effort showed clear intent to end the rule—but not the numbers.
A Rule on Borrowed Time
Between Reid’s change (2013), McConnell’s extension (2017), Biden-Schumer-Harris’s failed attempt (2022), and Thune’s recent partial rule change (2025), the 60-vote threshold has been repeatedly weakened. Analysts now describe the rule as on political life support. “The 60-vote cloture rule is on the brink,” said one longtime Senate observer. “Either Republicans move to end it now, or Democrats will the next time they hold a solid majority.”
Support Independent Local Journalism — High Country Advocate was created as a real alternative to regional media that too often silences dissenting voices while taking sides in the political struggle. Producing in-depth, unflinching reporting like this series and others is expensive: servers, editing, research time, and legal review all add up quickly. If these articles have informed you or given you new perspective, please consider supporting HCA with a paid subscription — every subscriber helps keep this reporting strong and independent. 