White House signals Biden may address filibuster reform soon

Washington: The White House on Friday offered a strong signal that it is preparing to seek changes soon to a long-standing Senate tradition that has allowed Republicans to block voting rights legislation and other major Democratic initiatives.

Democratic President Joe Biden, who spent 36 years in the Senate, has previously opposed any significant overhaul of a Senate rule known as the filibuster, which requires 60 of the 100 senators to agree on most legislation.

His opposition has angered Democrats and activists who say an arcane rule should not stand in the way of important issues such as voting rights and immigration.