Pennsylvania Sen. Fetterman Supports GOP Plan to Abolish Filibuster to End Government Shutdown

Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) has publicly supported the idea of Senate Republicans using the "nuclear option" to eliminate the legislative filibuster specifically for government funding bills, aiming to end the ongoing government shutdown. Fetterman emphasized the urgency of reopening the government to continue essential programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), warning that people "need to eat" as funding runs out amid the shutdown. He acknowledged that while Democrats previously campaigned on killing the filibuster, they have since shown reluctance, but he firmly stated, "We ran on that, we ran on killing the filibuster, and now we love it." Fetterman criticized the current impasse as "just bad political theater" and argued that carving out an exception for spending bills would make future government shutdowns less likely. His stance contrasts with many of his Democratic colleagues who have defended the filibuster, highlighting his willingness to prioritize immediate action over Senate tradition. This position comes as the Senate struggles to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to pass the House-passed continuing resolution to fund the government.