Tuberville says ending filibuster will stop ‘four or five’ shutdowns: ‘Kick the Democrats to the side’

The U.S. Senate finally reached a deal to end the Democrat-led filibuster that caused a government shutdown for more than 40 days.

But Sen. Tommy Tuberville said more delays are coming and is calling on his Republican colleagues to do what President Trump has requested: Change Senate rules to end the filibuster.

“I’m for what President Trump wants to do,” Tuberville said. “But I’m really for the American people. They didn’t send Donald Trump up here to stand around and wait for the Senate to get something done.”

Tuberville made the comments in an interview posted by video journalist Nicholas Ballasy and reported by The Hill.

Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate. Unless the filibuster is eliminated, Tuberville predicts more shutdowns will occur.

“They’re going to shut it down again, okay? There are going to be four or five more shutdowns.”

“Let’s just kick the Democrats to the side,” he said. “We know what’s best for the American people.”

The filibuster allows the minority party to block, delay or force negotiations on legislation, because 60 votes required to invoke cloture, or limit debate on a bill.

Last week, Trump met with Republican lawmakers and encouraged them to try to change the rule.

“If you don’t terminate the filibuster, you’ll be in bad shape. We won’t pass any legislation,” Trump said, according to The Wall Street Journal.

It’s not unusual for the party in power, either Democrats or Republicans, to call for changes in the filibuster rules because the minority party is holding up its agenda.

For example, President Biden sought exceptions to the filibuster rule on abortion rights and voting rights legislation that he supported.

The Senate has adopted exceptions to the filibuster rules to allow confirmations of presidential nominees that don’t require the 60-vote threshold.

In this case, there’s no indication that the GOP majority in the Senate intends to follow through on the president’s request to try to end the filibuster.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota has said the votes are not there to end the filibuster. Former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell opposed Trump’s call to end the filibuster during Trump’s first term.

Alabama Sen. Katie Britt, who was credited by her colleagues for her role in the negotiations to end the filibuster, is not calling for a change in the rules, according to a statement issued from her press office:

“Right now, as Senate Leader John Thune has said repeatedly, there are not enough votes to end the filibuster, and Senator Britt is focused on different pathways to deliver for Alabama, as demonstrated through her leadership in ending the nominations blockade and bringing the shutdown to an end.”

Tuberville, who is running for governor, said the rule change should happen. He predicted more government shutdowns. The deal reached to end the current shutdown extends until the end of January.

“If we need to bust it, let’s bust it,” the senator said. “Knock it down to 51. And let the Senate know that, listen, the power needs to go with the president and let him get something done.

“If we don’t we’re going to lose our country. It’s going to be over with. He’s got three years. He’s the last Trump that we’ll have in office.

“He’s hard-nosed. He believes in this country. Let’s give him some support. If he wants to blow up the filibuster, I’m all for it.”

Filibusters, or long speeches to delay bills, started with the first session of the Senate in 1789, according to the Senate website.

In 1917, the Senate adopted a rule to invoke cloture, or limit debate. That required a two-thirds vote.

In 1975, the Senate change the rule to lower the margin needed to invoke cloture to three-fifths, or 60 of the 100 senators.

This story was updated to add a statement from Sen. Katie Britt’s press office.