Schumer, D.N.Y., sent Monday's letter to his colleagues. He stated that the Senate must "evolve" and would "debate" the changes to the rules by Jan. 17 (or before Martin Luther King Jr. Day) as Democrats attempt to overcome Republican opposition.
Schumer stated that January 6th was a sign of a larger illness -- an attempt to delegitimize the election process. "The Senate must promote systemic democracy reforms to fix our republic. Otherwise, the events of that day won't be an exception -- they will become the norm."
The 50-50 Senate has stalled the election and voting rights package. It was blocked by a Republican-led filibuster. Democrats are unable to raise the 60 votes necessary to move it towards passage.
Despite months of private negotiations, Democrats are unable to reach an agreement on possible changes to Senate rules to lower the hurdle to 60 votes.
Sens. Sens. Joe Manchin from West Virginia and Kyrsten Silema from Arizona have attempted to warn their party against changes to Senate rules. They argue that if Republicans gain majority control of the chamber they can use the lower voting threshold for bills Democrats oppose to be advanced.
President Joe Biden has been cautiously involved in the debate. A former senator, who generally stands by the existing rules but is under immense political pressure to break down the voting legislation logjam, Biden is now cautious.
It is still unclear how the Senate rules will be modified.
Voting rights advocates warn of Republican-led states passing election legislation and trying in vain to elect Trump loyalists to office. This could lead to a subversion of future elections.
Voting rights
Trump exhorted his followers to fight for his presidency last January 6. A mob stormed Capitol trying to stop Congress certifying the state elections for Biden. It was the most violent domestic attack on the seat government in American history.
