Republicans are planning to break decades of precedent and overrule the Senate parliamentarian to undo a Biden-era environmental policy.
Majority Leader John Thune announced Tuesday morning that the Senate will take up the vote to overturn waivers the Environmental Protection Agency granted to California that allowed the state to phase out gas-powered cars. The Senate parliamentarian ruled that the Congressional Review Act — the legislative vehicle Republicans plan to use to overturn the policy — does not apply to waivers.
Ignoring Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough could open the door to ignoring her decisions later this year, when she will decide which policies can be part of the reconciliation bill and which should be subject to a 60-vote threshold filibuster. Democrats have warned that overruling the parliamentarian foreshadows how Republicans approach Senate rules in the near future, particularly as it applies to the Byrd Rule, which restricts what can be part of a reconciliation bill.