Grand Canyon Times

The congressional legislative recess is less than two months away, and lawmakers in Washington are still locked in debate over the legislation that could bring significant change to voting and election laws through a federal oversight in all 50 states. In addition to the disagreements over whether the legislation is too extreme, another discussion has arisen over the filibuster's future in the U.S. Senate. 

On June 22, the U.S. Senate version of House Resolution 1 failed to proceed to debate following a filibuster by Republican senators. The bill would significantly increase federal control over elections, overriding many state laws and bringing changes to state voting and election procedures. These include the creation of public funds for political campaigns, elimination of voter ID requirements and allowing felons to vote in every state. 

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) has been a key figure in the story of HR 1 as she has stood firm in her opposition to removing the filibuster, which ultimately appears to have doomed HR 1. Many in Sinema's party want to eliminate or weaken the filibuster in order to pass groundbreaking legislation like HR 1, also known as the For the People Act.

For the People Act supporters say they would have increased access to voting for minority populations including young people, people of color and disabled Americans. Critics argue that it was poorly veiled attempt at a power grab over state election authority. 

Disagreements over whether to support the filibuster is a parliamentary practice that should remain in place are not new. Lawmakers who supported filibusters while their party was in the minority became opposed to the practice once they controlled the majority. 

In 2017, following a Republican sweep of the House, Senate, and presidency, a bipartisan group of senators wrote a letter to Senate leaders Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), urging them to leave the filibuster in place. 

Despite not yet being a member of the Senate in 2017, Sinema was vocal about supporting the filibuster upon taking her seat in 2018.

Sinema's support for the filibuster has remained consistent and PBS reports that she continues to oppose the elimination of the filibuster. This comes amid a heavy push by Democratic lawmakers to modify the parliamentary procedure, or even remove it completely.

Sinema's consistency on the filibuster is apparently not the norm. According to the Washington Post, 39 Democratic senators have switched their positions on keeping the filibuster intact.

Sinema wrote in the Washington Post earlier this month a commentary reiterating and explaining her support for the filibuster, as well as asserting that this has been a long-held belief.

"It’s no secret that I oppose eliminating the Senate’s 60-vote threshold," Sinema said in the column. "I held the same view during three terms in the U.S. House, and said the same after I was elected to the Senate in 2018. "If anyone expected me to reverse my position because my party now controls the Senate, they should know that my approach to legislating in Congress is the same whether in the minority or majority."

A recent poll commissioned by The West Virginia Record showed considerable support for Sen. Joe Manchin’s (D-WV), another moderate Democrat in a "purple" state, opposition to weakening or eliminating the filibuster among his constituents. Sixty-one percent of voters do not favor weakening and/or eliminating the filibuster rule in the Senate, including 85% of Republicans, 65% of Independents, and 32% of Democrats.

According to Monmouth poll, voters across the U.S. agree with West Virginians. The poll found that only 19% of respondents believe that the filibuster should be eliminated.