Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, holds a press conference on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. Mr. Reid said he intends to change Senate filibuster rules following President Obama's win in the general election the previous day and that he hopes Republicans will work with the Democrats to solve some of the country's major issues. (Barbara L. Salisbury/The Washington Times)
**FILE** Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, at the Capitol in Washington on Tuesday, July 20, 2010. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, gestures as he takes a call in his office before the jobs bill cloture vote on Capitol Hill in Washington on Monday, Feb. 22, 2010. A bipartisan jobs bill cleared a GOP filibuster with critical momentum provided by the Senate's newest Republican, Sen. Scott P. Brown of Massachusetts. (AP Photo/Harry Hamburg)
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (right), Kentucky Republican, gestures as he speaks with reporters at the Capitol in Washington on Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2012, following a GOP strategy luncheon. With him (from left) are Republican Sens. John Barrasso of Wyoming and John Thune of South Dakota. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, was forced to keep all 60 members of his caucus in Washington over a December 2009 weekend to overcome a Republican filibuster. (AP Photo)
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (center), Kentucky Republican, steps off the Senate floor at the Capitol in Washington on Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2012, before speaking with reporters following a GOP strategy luncheon. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, announced this year that he will try to force a rules change in January to limit the number of chances to filibuster a bill — though he would not eliminate it entirely.
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, vehemently objected, and the two have sparred repeatedly on the chamber floor.
Mr. McConnell objects not only to the rules change, but also the way Mr. Reid plans to go about it.
The Democrat wants to use the first day of the next session, when the chamber adopts its entire rules package on a majority vote, to do the rewrite. Though that would be legal, most major rules changes are passed by a two-thirds vote, which ensures widespread support.
Both Mr. Reid and Mr. McConnell signaled they would be open to sitting down and talking about a compromise, though it’s not clear what middle ground can be found.
Last year, the two men struck a gentleman’s agreement that Mr. McConnell would allow more bills to come to the floor without an initial blockade, and in exchange Mr. Reid would allow Republicans to offer amendments. That deal soon collapsed, however, with each side blaming the other for its demise.
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Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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