GOP senators reject Trump proposal to go 'nuclear' on wall

Senate Republicans quickly rejected President TrumpDonald John TrumpBooker backpedals after comparing Warren's Facebook proposal to Trump Booker: 'Thoughts and prayers' after gun violence are 'bullshit' Mike Pence tells Liberty University graduates to prepare to be 'shunned,' 'ridiculed' for being a Christian MORE's push that they go "nuclear" and change Senate rules to eliminate the legislative filibuster in order to pass a funding bill with $5 billion for his wall on the Mexican border.

"I’ve long said that eliminating the legislative filibuster would be a mistake," said outgoing Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin HatchOrrin Grant HatchTrump gambles in push for drug import proposal Biden's role in Anita Hill hearings defended by witness not allowed to testify 'Congress' worst tax idea ever'? Hardly. MORE (R-Utah) in a string of tweets explaining his position. 

"It’s what’s prevented our country for decades from sliding toward liberalism. It’s inconvenient sometimes, but requiring compromise is in the interest of both parties in the long term," Hatch said.

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Retiring GOP Sen. Jeff FlakeJeffrey (Jeff) Lane FlakeProtesters who went viral confronting Flake cheered at award event Feinstein to introduce bill raising age to purchase assault weapons after California shooting Pollster says Trump unlikely to face 'significant' primary challenge MORE (Ariz.) pledged that he wouldn't vote to nix the 60-vote filibuster in order to clear money for the border. 

 

"The Senate filibuster is about the only mechanism left in Washington that brings the parties together. Deploying the nuclear option would blow that up. I will not vote to do it," Flake said. 

 

Sen. Bob CorkerRobert (Bob) Phillips CorkerCorker: 'I just don't' see path to challenge Trump in 2020 Ex-GOP Sen. Corker: Trump primary would be 'good thing for our country' Pollster says Trump unlikely to face 'significant' primary challenge MORE (R-Tenn.), who also is retiring early next month, said he would "continue to follow rules relative to legislation as they exist today as I finish my term." 

 

And Sen. Lamar AlexanderAndrew (Lamar) Lamar AlexanderOvernight Health Care: Trump urges Congress to take action on surprise medical bills | New bipartisan drug pricing bill introduced | Trump gambles in push for drug import proposal Trump urges Congress to take action on surprise medical bills The Hill's Morning Report - Barr held in contempt after Trump invokes executive privilege, angering Dems MORE (R-Tenn.), the chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, added that he would also not vote to use the nuclear option. 

 

“We have rules to follow. I want to put a stop to this practice of the Senate breaking its rules to change its rules. I will not vote to turn the Senate into a rule-breaking institution and I hope that my colleagues will not," said Alexander, who announced this week that he would retire at the end of the next Congress.

 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellTrump's 'four corners' offense an effective strategy for 2020 House Dems reintroduce bill to protect elections from cyberattacks The Hill's 12:30 Report: Trump takes gamble on new China tariffs MORE (R-Ky.) has repeatedly rejected Trump's request to nix the legislative filibuster, saying there aren't the votes in the Senate to do so. 

 

"With the regard to the filibuster rule, as I've told him repeatedly, the votes aren't there to change it. They just aren't there," McConnell said at an event earlier this year, adding, "I simply disagree with the president about the harm that [the filibuster] does."

 

A spokesman for McConnell said that remains the leader's position.

 

"The Leader has said for years that the votes are not there in the Conference to use the nuclear option. Just this morning, several Senators put out statements confirming their opposition, and confirming that there is not a majority in the conference to go down that road," David Popp, a spokesman for McConnell, said in a statement. 

 

Trump, reversing course to blame Democrats for a partial shutdown, publicly urged McConnell to use the nuclear in a tweet, adding that "our Country is counting on you!"