Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va. (Getty Images)

Wednesday, 07 April 2021 09:45 PM

Democratic Senator Joe Manchin, a pivotal vote in the evenly divided Senate, said on Wednesday he was opposed to a process called reconciliation that makes it easier to pass bills without Republican support, a potential blow to President Joe Biden’s chances of passing a huge infrastructure measure.

Manchin also said he would not support any step to weaken the ability of Republicans to mount filibusters to block legislation. Some Democrats want to toss aside the filibuster rule, which requires 60 votes in the 100-member chamber to approve most bills.

“I simply do not believe budget reconciliation should replace regular order in the Senate,” Manchin said in an opinion piece in the Washington Post. “Senate Democrats must avoid the temptation to abandon our Republican colleagues on important national issues.”

READ MORE HERE: Sen. Manchin, in Threat to Biden Agenda, Opposes Reconciliation Process to Pass Legislation | Newsmax.com