WASHINGTON – Republicans took control of the U.S. Senate on Friday under the fresh leadership of John Thune of South Dakota, who vowed to maintain the body’s legislative filibuster – the 60-vote threshold for major legislation that some Democrats have sought to abolish had.
Thune follows in the footsteps of the longest-serving Senate GOP leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, and takes the reins as Republicans prepare to control the Senate, House and White House once President-elect Donald Trump takes office on April 20 takes office in January.
In his first opening statement as chairman, Thune said he would restore the upper chamber as a “place of discussion and deliberation” as the body pursues an aggressive agenda to reform immigration policy and extend the 2017 tax cuts – not to mention actually funding the Government months overdue once fleeting measures expire in March.
are Republicans keep an eye on the budget reconciliation process — a legislative maneuver that allows the Senate to avoid the 60-vote filibuster — to achieve as many of the party’s policy goals as can be justified in the budget resolution for each fiscal year. During their unity government in the 117th Congress, Democrats used reconciliation twice.
Still, in his opening statement at the start of the 119th Congress, Thune emphasized that the Senate must remain the “more stable, thoughtful, and deliberative” body.
“Unfortunately, there are many people today who would like to turn the Senate into a copy of the House of Representatives,” Thune said in the plenary session.
“And that,” he continued, “is not what our founders intended or what our country needs.” One of my priorities as leader will be to ensure that the Senate remains the Senate. That means maintaining the legislative filibuster.”
Thune described the 60-vote rule as “the greatest impact on preserving the vision of the founders of the U.S. Senate.”
Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who has served in the House of Representatives since 1981, resumed the position of Senate president pro tempore on Friday – a role he last held from 2019 to 2021.
Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, now the panel’s minority leader, said on the floor Friday that he looked forward to working with Thune and wanted to continue to “reach out beyond the altar.”
“I want to work with the new Republican leader to maintain this bipartisan trend in the new year. “I don’t expect us to agree on everything or even on many things,” Schumer said. “But there are still ways to improve the lives of the American people if we are willing to work together.”
New senators
Ten fresh senators were sworn in on Friday, including several Republicans, flipping seats held by Democrats.
Among them were Republican Sen. David McCormick, who ousted longtime Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. Bob Casey; Sen. Tim Sheehy, a Republican who flipped Montana’s Senate seat previously held by Democrat Jon Tester; and fresh GOP Sen. Bernie Moreno, who wrested the seat from longtime Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown.
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice was not among the lawmakers who took the oath Friday. Justice, a Republican who won the seat held by outgoing independent Joe Manchin III, will remain governor of the state until Jan. 13 before moving to the Senate.
New Democratic senators Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland and Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware made history Friday by becoming the first two Black women to serve in the upper house at the same time.
Other senators sworn in Friday included Republicans Jim Banks of Indiana and John Curtis of Utah, and Democrats Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Ruben Gallego of Arizona.
In December, Democratic Senators Adam Schiff of California and Andy Kim of New Jersey took the oath.
Last updated on January 3, 2025 at 3:13 p.m
