Sen. John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, told reporters Tuesday that he would support Republicans using the so-called nuclear option to end the Senate filibuster, paving a way to pass a bill to reopen the government.
Mr. Fetterman’s chief concern is money running out for the food stamp program as the shutdown, now in its 21st day, drags on.
The senator suggested that he would support Republicans “nuking” the filibuster to let a House-passed continuing resolution pass the Senate with a simple-majority vote.
Fetterman said to absolutely carve out the 60-vote threshold for passing legislation through the Senate to allow the government to reopen.
“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,” he told reporters on Capitol Hill.
His comments came as the Senate voted Monday against reopening the federal government for the 11th time. The chamber voted 50-43 on the House-passed measure to fund the government through late November, falling below the 60 votes needed to pass.
Mr. Fetterman joined two other members of the Democratic caucus — Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and Angus King, a Maine independent — to vote in favor of the Republican proposal to reopen and fund the government.
“It’s a sad day for our nation,” he said in a statement on the night of the funding deadline, adding, “My vote was for our country over my party. Together, we must find a better way forward.”
• Mary McCue Bell can be reached at mbell@washingtontimes.com.
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