WASHINGTON – With the Senate split 50-50, leaders of the Democratic majority are looking for ways to advance their priorities and President Joe Biden's agenda around the typical 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a filibuster by opponents.
This week, the Senate parliamentarian ruled that one tool, budget reconciliation, could be used more often than expected to pass certain measures with a 51-vote threshold.
That potentially opens new opportunities for approving not only President Joe Biden's $2.3 trillion infrastructure package, as had been expected, but other legislation on a party-line vote without Republicans.