President Biden indicated on Thursday Milestone Roe v. He supports an exception to the 60-vote threshold needed to advance legislation in the Senate to codify abortion and privacy rights following the Supreme Court’s ruling that overturned the Wade case.
“I believe that Roe v Wade should become law. The way to do that is to make sure Congress votes to do it. And if the filibuster gets in the way, it’s like suffrage, which it should be, to which we make an exception. The exception — the exception is necessary for this action to deal with the Supreme Court ruling,” Biden told reporters in Madrid, Spain, on Thursday.
Biden said moments later to make clear he was open to changing filibuster rules on those issues, saying, “The right to privacy, not just abortion rights, but yes, abortion rights.”
Roe v. Codification of Wade requires 60 votes in the Senate, unless the filibuster rules are changed to a simple majority requirement, which currently does not exist. Major moderate Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kirsten Sinema of Arizona have expressed opposition to changing the filibuster rules. However, Manchin, Roe v. Wade is open to codifying legislation.
Biden said he would meet with governors on Friday to get their input and have “announcements to make then.”
“The first and foremost thing we need to do is make it clear how outrageous this decision is and how much it affects not only a woman’s right to choose, which is an important, important area, but privacy in general. So what action do I have to take?” “I’m going to talk to the governors about what they think. But the most important thing is to be clear: I believe we need to change and codify Roe v. Wade into law,” he said.
More context: Both Senators Manchin and Sinema have changed their positions, or there is no indication that they will.
But Biden’s call is linked to White House efforts to increase urgency ahead of the midterm elections — and national Democrats have increasingly raised concerns that the Biden administration is not doing enough to fight back against the Supreme Court ruling. .
Despite poor poll numbers and poor chances of retaining a Democratic majority in the House, the White House sees a path to picking up Senate seats to increase their narrow majority.
Holding their current seats and adding at least two new Democratic senators could, in theory, pave the way for votes for a Senate rule change.
