US Senate Sidestepping Rules Opens a Dangerous Door for Attacks on Checks and Balances

Last week, the US Senate majority officially obstructed the ruling of the Senate Parliamentarian and weakened the filibuster rule by expanding the application of the Congressional Review Act in a vote intended to undo California’s electric vehicle mandate. This action could have ramifications for other bills the Senate is considering. In response, Celina Stewart, CEO of the League of Women Voters, released the following statement: 

“Senate Republicans ignored Senate rules to advance their own political agenda, most recently undermining the body’s parliamentary process to block a state-specific environmental rule. Parliamentarian processes are in place to ensure fair, orderly, and efficient decision-making, which makes this action problematic. If this behavior continues, all bets are off for how Congress operates, and the Republican majority could force any agenda item, no matter how extreme the impact to the American people.  

"The US Senate has a responsibility to voters and constituents. Undermining the parliamentary process is a dangerous step that further erodes our democratic norms and Americans’ trust in our government to serve the public and protect democracy.”