Urge U.S. Senate to Change the Filibuster
January 26, 2026
Dear Friends,
The filibuster is a long-standing rule in the U.S. Senate that allows a minority of senators to block legislation by requiring a supermajority of 60 votes to end debate on legislation and move on to a vote.
Traditionally, it meant that before voting on a matter, a Senator would give a very lengthy speech as a last-ditch effort to try to persuade some of his or her colleagues to change their vote before it was too late.
But now the filibuster is lazy.
It doesn’t involve a long argument meant to persuade. It doesn’t involve any argument at all.
Now, it’s simply the minority party refusing to allow a bill to have a full Senate vote. It’s endless debate without the debate. It’s just obstruction.
And the stakes are too high now for this to continue.
Now the Senate already removed the filibuster when it comes to federal judges. We would not have President Trump’s Justices on the Supreme Court unless the filibuster had been removed for votes on those nominations.
But legislation is still being too easily impeded by the filibuster. There are bills galore that pass the US House, by simple majority, but never get to a vote in the Senate, because the lazy filibuster is in the way, requiring 60 votes instead of 51.
And rare are the sessions of Congress that a party has 60 votes in the Senate.
Consider just a couple of the instances when the filibuster killed pro-life legislation.
- The Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act would protect most babies from abortion after 20 weeks’ gestation. It was filibustered when first introduced in the 113th Congress and again failed cloture votes in subsequent sessions.
- The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act called for emergency life-saving care for newborns who survive abortion. The bill did not reach the floor in several sessions, including a year ago, because it did not receive 60 votes. Think about that for a minute: A bill that would save lives couldn’t muster 60 votes because no Democrats would vote for it!!
Now I understand all the arguments in favor of the filibuster. There has to be some way for the minority to be heard, and there have to be mechanisms that force the US Senate to work for more consensus among the American people.
But at the same time, deliberation has turned into dysfunction.
I’m not saying eliminate the filibuster altogether. I’m saying make the minority work for it. There’s a reason that the minority is the minority. The American people voted.
And that’s why the majority is the majority. Americans vote because they want to see certain policies blocked and others implemented. Time and time again, the only obstacle is the filibuster.
And when the parties are so divided on the most critical issues – life and death of the unborn, the meaning of marriage and gender, the freedom of religion, and the very meaning of the Constitution – and when the nation is so divided that these fundamental matters are in fact being decided by slim majorities…
Then it’s time to let the majority be the majority, and free up the lawmaking process to act accordingly.
If we’re afraid that this will work against us if the other side has the majority, then let that fear make us work harder than ever to make sure our side wins the majority in every election.
Modifying the filibuster could also encourage healthier political compromise. The current filibuster discourages bipartisan cooperation because it incentivizes obstruction. If the minority party knows it can block legislation entirely, it has little reason to negotiate. Without the filibuster, the majority would still need to consider minority viewpoints to maintain public support and pass durable laws, but the minority would also be more motivated to engage constructively rather than obstruct reflexively.
If you agree with me that the lazy filibuster needs to go, and have the Senate keep the actual debating filibuster, I hope I can count on your help.
When you click this link, you’ll be taken to a page where you can signal your intention to call your senators, Republican and Democrat, to urge them to change the filibuster.
Lives can be saved, it’s as simple and as profound as that.
As always, my heartfelt thanks for your willingness to help this life-saving effort.
Regards,
Pro-Life Leader Frank Pavone
National Director, Priests for Life
This is the type of action that Priests for Life can take nationwide as we mobilize our movement. To help make it possible for Priests for Life to conduct campaigns such as this one, please click here and be as generous as you can.