Fetterman backs Senate ‘nuclear option’ to end shutdown
Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) expressed his willingness to support Republicans if they choose to use the “nuclear option” to eliminate the Senate filibuster in order to pass legislation reopening the government amid the ongoing shutdown. Fetterman emphasized the urgency, noting that essential programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are running out of funds, and criticized the political stalemate as harmful to everyday Americans. He called the current situation “bad political theater” and urged for government funding to be restored immediately.Fetterman reiterated his campaign promise to end the filibuster, arguing that removing it for this purpose would prevent future shutdowns. Despite opposition from Senate Republican leaders like John Thune and moderate Democrats Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, the idea of using the nuclear option has gained traction as the shutdown enters its third week, with key government functions being curtailed and no resolution in sight.
Fetterman says he’d vote to kill filibuster to end shutdown impasse
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) said Tuesday he would back Republicans if they invoked the “nuclear option” to eliminate the Senate filibuster and push through legislation reopening the government.
“There are no winners here. It’s not getting better every day here. People are going to start to get really hungry, and I’ve been fully, fully committed to fund [the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program], open up the government,” he said, noting the program is running out of money.
“This is just bad political theater. Open it up,” Fetterman added, speaking to reporters.
When asked whether he would back Republicans in “nuking” the filibuster to allow a House-passed funding bill to clear the Senate with a simple majority, Fetterman said he would.
“Of course. Carve it out for that. Absolutely. We ran on that. We ran on killing the filibuster, and now we love it,” Fetterman responded. “I support it because it makes it more difficult to shut the government down in the future, and that’s where it’s entirely appropriate. And I don’t want to hear any Democrat clutching their pearls about the filibuster. We all ran on it.”
Senate Republicans broadly oppose eliminating the filibuster, with Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) ruling out the prospect as recently as this month, but the idea has gained new currency as GOP members of the House urge their Senate counterparts to take the step as a way to end Democrats’ blockade.
The Senate’s 60-vote threshold has long blocked partisan legislation, including previous efforts to end shutdowns. Repealing or suspending it, the so-called “nuclear option” would allow the GOP’s narrow majority to pass a stopgap funding measure without Democratic support. Fetterman’s remarks come as the shutdown enters its 21st day, with key agencies scaling back operations and federal nutrition benefits at risk of running out of money within weeks.
Senate Democrats under former President Joe Biden sought to transform the legislative filibuster, with wide-ranging proposals from eliminating it altogether to creating policy carve-outs for issues such as federal voting rights, abortion access, and gun control. But Sens. Joe Manchin (I-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), ardent defenders of the legislative hurdle, stood in their way.
On Monday, the Senate failed for the 11th time to advance a House-passed bill to fund the government and end the shutdown. The measure has repeatedly fallen short of the 60 votes needed to move forward, with little indication that the stalemate will break anytime soon.
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“It’s Groundhogs Day, you know? And I’m just saying, and it’s not entertaining. That’s a great movie, but this is s***ty, and now it’s like, now real damage is going to, are now touching the lives of regular Americans, and we all lose, and it’s embarrassing to our — to our allies and to our enemies abroad,” Fetterman added.
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