Biden endorses changing Senate rules to require a 'talking filibuster,' like 'back in the old days'


President Biden for the first time Tuesday publicly endorsed changing the Senate's filibuster rules so if a senator wanted to block a bill, he or she would have to earn it.
ABC News' George Stephanopoulos broached the topic in an interview segment released Tuesday night, asking Biden if he will "have to choose between preserving the filibuster and advancing your agenda." Biden said yes, but "I don't think that you have to eliminate the filibuster — you have to do it what it used to be when I first got to the Senate, back in the old days," when "you had to stand up and command the floor, you had to keep talking" and "work for the filibuster."
Stephanopoulos followed up to make sure Biden is "for bringing back the talking filibuster," and Biden said yes, he is. "That's what it was supposed to be," he said. "It's getting to the point where, you know, democracy is having a hard time functioning."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Senate Democrats, who narrowly lead the 50-50 chamber, would need every member of their caucus to change the filibuster rules, and several moderate Democrats — including Sen. Joe Manchin (W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.), plus Biden — oppose eliminating the filibuster altogether. But Manchin and other Democrats, most recently Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), have voiced support for switching back to a talking filibuster.
"The filibuster allows a senator to block a bill by refusing to yield the floor unless at least 60 colleagues vote to end the debate and proceed to a vote," The Washington Post explains. "In recent years, the objecting senator has not had to actually speak for hours — instead, simply announcing an intent to filibuster is enough to block the bill." Currently, NBC News adds, "the onus is on the majority to find 60 votes to advance legislation; if it falls short, it stalls. A talking filibuster would shift the onus to the minority to hold the floor and speak incessantly until it gives up or the majority pulls the bill."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctions
The Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
Cracks appear in MAGA's pro-Israel front
IN THE SPOTLIGHT As the world watches a humanitarian crisis unfold across Gaza, some of Israel's most staunchly conservative defenders have begun speaking out against its actions in the occupied territories
-
5 cultural trails to traverse by car
The Week Recommends Leave the hiking shoes at home
-
Trump revives K-12 Presidential Fitness Test
Speed Read The Obama administration phased the test out in 2012, replacing it with a program focused on overall health rather than standardized benchmarks
-
El Salvador scraps term limits, boosting Nayib Bukele
Speed Read New constitutional changes will allow presidents to seek reelection an indefinite number of times
-
Trump assigns tariffs, delays all except on Canada
Speed Read A 35% tariff on many Canadian goods has gone into effect
-
Harris rules out run for California governor
Speed Read The 2024 Democratic presidential nominee ended months of speculation about her plans for the contest
-
Trump sets new tariff rates as deadline nears
Speed Read New tariff rates for South Korea, Brazil and India announced
-
Ghislaine Maxwell: angling for a Trump pardon
Talking Point Convicted sex trafficker's testimony could shed new light on president's links to Jeffrey Epstein
-
Senate confirms Trump loyalist Bove to top court
Speed Read The president's former criminal defense lawyer was narrowly approved to earn a lifetime seat
-
Ghislaine Maxwell offers testimony for immunity
Speed Read The convicted sex trafficker offered to testify to Congress about her relationship with late boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein