for shipping jobs overseas, we had 57 votes but we couldn t get 60 to stop a filibuster and they haven t to stand on the floor and talk so nobody knew who it was from block us to closing loopholes to bring jobs home. this is common sense. so senator, what s your response to mitch mcconnell what he says the filibuster reform is an effort to marginalize the minority party? it s crazy. he has been marginalizing the majority party. the last six years, there were 386 filibusters. in the six years that lyndon johnson was the majority leader at that time, there was one. one. because it was only used in the most extraordinary of circumstances. now they do it on everything. everything. even a department of defense bill that ended up passing today 98-0. they still slow walked it every
mcconnell s claim. it s not an effort to marginalize the minority party. with 386 filibusters from republicans, these rule changes are simply a way to make the senate work again. that s what you pay them for. let s turn now to senator debbie stabenow of michigan. there s been a lot of conversation in the liberal community in this country about this. and democrats seem to be chomping at the bit. is this going to happen? are we going to see change? yes, i believe that we are going to see change. we have the support to make the changes and i think it s clear the public wants us to get something done. of course, we re going to work across the aisle, but one person shouldn t be able to hold up the department of defense bill or in the case of my bringing jobs home act, which is so important for shipping jobs overseas, we
and it would have penalized companies for shipping jobs overseas. republicans filibustered legislation that would have created jobs and helped the middle class. this one even included a tax break. they still said no. remember, these are just three of 386 filibusters that the republicans have used to stop the obama agenda dead in its tracks. time and time again, republicans abuse this rule to hurt america s progress. senate democrats basically are sick of it and they want to change this filibuster rule. harry reid wants the following changes. senators can t filibuster a debate. he wants a shorter time to break a filibuster. and he wants senators to speak out about their filibuster in public. these are not drastic changes. this isn t going to roll the senate over. the filibuster would still be a tool. but house speaker john boehner is now involved. he issued this threat.
it would have provided over $7 billion in health care funds to 9/11 first responders. a watered-down version of the bill followed, eventually passed. republicans hid behind these 9/11 first responders for years. they used these heroic americans to start a war of choice in iraq. then when they got sick from hazardous working conditions, senate republicans used the filibuster to deny them the proper health care funds they needed. republicans also filibustered the veterans jobs act. it would have provided $1 billion to help create over 20,000 jobs for veterans returning home from war. these brave americans, while they were sent to iraq and afghanistan and put their lives on the line every day to serve our country, then when they came home they needed help. republicans used the filibuster to say, no way. can t do it. and finally, senate republicans filibustered the bring jobs home act. you know, that thing about outsourcing, the act would have created a 20% tax break for moving jobs back t
the thing about outsourcing, the act would have created a 20% tax break for moving jobs back to the united states. and it would have penalized companies for shipping jobs overseas. republicans filibustered legislation that would have created jobs and helped the middle class. this one even included a tax break. they still said no. remember, these are just three of 386 filibusters that the republicans have used to stop the obama agenda dead in its tracks. time and time again, republicans abuse this rule to hurt america s progress. senate democrats basically are sick of it and they want to change this filibuster rule. harry reid wants the following changes. senators can t filibuster a debate. he wants a shorter time to break a filibuster. and he wants senators to speak out about their filibuster in public. these are not drastic changes.