Republican Senators reject Trump’s proposal to use “nuclear option” on border wall funding

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President Donald Trump suggested to Senate Republicans to use the “nuclear option” to prevent Democrats from opposing the House-passed short-term spending bill that includes $5 billion in border wall funding.

The nuclear option Trump was referring to as a nuclear option is parliamentary procedure that allows the Senate to end the right to filibuster legislation. Democrats can use this powerful legislative device to debate and object the House-passed short-term bill for as long as they want. It requires three-fifths or 60 votes to end the filibuster.

Senate Republicans including Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch of Utah strongly rejected Trump’s nuclear option proposal.

The Senate has rules to follow

In a series of tweets, Hatch said, it is a mistake to eliminate the legislative filibuster. He also stressed that “requiring compromise is the interest of both parties in the long term.”