As frustration mounts among Senate Republicans over the miniscule number of votes Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has allowed on amendments, the Kentucky senator is signaling to colleagues that he will loosen his grip on floor debate, The Hill reported on Monday.
McConnell is seeking to avoid another blowup over the issue as tensions increases within the GOP.
In an angry speech on the Senate floor just last week, Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker slammed the Republican "powers that be" for blocking legislation that would have placed checks on the president's ability to levy tariffs, saying “A lot of them would vote for it, but no, no, no, 'gosh, we might poke the bear,' is the language I’ve been hearing in the hallways… It’s ridiculous that people can’t vote on amendments," according to NBC News.
Other Republican senators have also been complaining about the issue.
"I just believe put a bill on the floor and let people start amending it, Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy said, according to The Hill. "And if somebody wants to object to an amendment, they need to object and record their objection and stand up and be counted. If somebody wants to offer an amendment, they should be able to offer an amendment."
Maine Sen. Susan Collins and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul have also accused their Republican leaderships of preventing debate on amendments.
McConnell is seen as particularly hypocritical, because he promised in 2014, when Democrats controlled the Senate and then Majority Leader Harry Reid kept a tight rein on the debate, that Republicans would open the floor to more amendments if they were in charge.
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