President Biden announced that he would support an exception to the Senate filibuster rule to move legislation to protect access to abortion.
The history: The filibuster allows any member of the Senate to block legislation unless it receives 60 votes. Although the Democrats are in control of the Senate, their margin hangs on a 50-50 tie, with VP Harris casting tiebreakers.
The issue: The right to abortion was never codified into law. Instead, those seeking that procedure relied on a 1973 Supreme Court decision in the case of Roe vs. Wade allowing abortion. That decision was overturned.
The solution: A suspension of the filibuster would allow a Senate controlled by Democrats to move through a bill ensuring the right to abortion is nationwide, instead of the patchwork of state laws currently in place.
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