Overview
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent used a Washington Post op-ed and TV interviews to urge Republicans to end the Senate’s legislative filibuster if Democrats trigger another shutdown at the January 30 deadline.
- Bessent argues the recent 43-day shutdown showed the rule is a minority veto, citing his estimates of $11 billion in permanent economic damage, a 1.5 percentage-point GDP hit, roughly 9,000–9,500 canceled flights, and pay delays for about 1.4 million federal workers.
- He frames the move as a strategic necessity, saying the filibuster is not in the Constitution and asserting that Democrats would scrap it when in power, pointing to the 2013 and 2017 carve-outs for nominations.
- The push aligns with President Trump’s earlier calls to use the nuclear option during the shutdown to advance legislation without a 60-vote hurdle.
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Speaker Mike Johnson have resisted ending the rule, saying there aren’t enough GOP votes, and no procedural change has been made as the next funding deadline approaches.