NPR: “With voting rights legislation stalled in the Senate due to Republican opposition, Vice President Harris suggested on Tuesday that she is having conversations about exceptions to the legislative filibuster with senators, while saying in an interview with NPR that she would not negotiate something publicly that the White House has been insisting is up to lawmakers. ‘I believe that of all of the issues that the United States Congress can take up, the right to vote is the right that unlocks all the other rights,’ Harris said. ‘And for that reason, it should be one of its highest priorities.’ Pressed on whether she is advocating that senators support a carveout to the filibuster for voting rights proposed by Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., Harris said, ‘I don’t mean this in any offense, but I’m not going to negotiate this way. But I’m certainly having conversations with folks.'”

“The For The People Act, an expansive bill which includes voting access and campaign finance provisions, received the votes of all Democrats in the Senate in June but was blocked by a Republican filibuster, a legislative procedure that requires 60 votes to advance legislation in the Senate, which is currently split 50-50 between the parties. Many progressives in Congress and outside activists have been calling for the end of the filibuster over voting rights. Clyburn, a close ally of President Biden, has suggested allowing bills related to the Constitution, including voting legislation, to pass with a simple majority. That could be achieved with the votes of all 50 Democrats and Harris breaking a tie in her role as president of the Senate. Clyburn told Politico he addressed the idea with Harris. The White House has said Biden does not support ending the filibuster altogether, saying the administration leaves any changes up to the Senate while pointing out that there are also not enough votes to end the filibuster outright, with Democrats Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona opposed to such a move. ‘Obviously it’s going to require all the Democrats in the Senate to agree with that approach,’ Harris said, referring to the exception proposed by Clyburn.”