A House Democrat says she would have supported eliminating the filibuster if Democrats had control of the White House, Senate, and House, but she doesn’t support it now that Republicans have won all three levers of power.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), chair of the Progressive Caucus, was speaking at a press conference on Monday about the 2024 election results when she was asked about her previous support for ending the filibuster.
“Am I championing getting rid of the filibuster now when the Senate has the trifecta? No,” she said, referring to Republicans taking back control of the White House and Senate and likely maintaining control of the House.
“But had we had the trifecta, I would have been, because we have to show that government can deliver,” Jayapal added.
“If we had had control of the trifecta and gotten rid of the filibuster to pass minimum wage, to pass paid sick leave, to pass many of these things that are passing – abortion access – that are passing on ballot measures that are so popular … then I think we would have built some trust with the American people,” Jayapal also said.
She also claimed that Republicans “already got rid of the filibuster, for taxes.” Republicans used a special process known as reconciliation, which can only be used for budget issues like taxes, spending, and the debt limit. It is not the same as eliminating the filibuster.
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As recently as September, Jayapal called the filibuster the “Jim Crow filibuster,” the New York Post reported.
“The filibuster was originally created *by mistake* in 1806,” she wrote on X at the time. “Every day we don’t abolish it is just as big a mistake.”
The filibuster was originally created *by mistake* in 1806. Every day we don’t abolish it is just as big a mistake.
— Pramila Jayapal (@PramilaJayapal) September 24, 2024
“It’s the filibuster OR an assault weapons ban. It’s the filibuster OR codified abortion access. It’s the filibuster OR raising the minimum wage. It’s the filibuster OR protecting voting rights. The choice is clear. Abolish the Jim Crow filibuster,” Jayapal has also posted.
It’s the filibuster OR an assault weapons ban.
It’s the filibuster OR codified abortion access.
It’s the filibuster OR raising the minimum wage
It’s the filibuster OR protecting voting rights.The choice is clear. Abolish the Jim Crow filibuster.
— Pramila Jayapal (@PramilaJayapal) September 25, 2024
Jayapal, being a member of the House, has no say or control over the filibuster, even if Democrats had retained the Senate. So far, however, she is the only Democrat to come out and say what is known to be true: They only support ending the filibuster when they have the majority.
Last week, The Daily Wire asked every current, incoming, and outgoing Senate Democrat if they supported ending the filibuster now that Donald Trump has won the election and Republicans will control the Senate.
