Washington DC: Senate Democrats on Tuesday unveiled their proposal to make it a lot harder for lawmakers to object to the certification of a presidential election and clarified the role of the vice president in the process. The group, which includes 16 senators and is led by Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin and Republican Sen. Susan Collins, is still working on their formal legislation.
The proposal is being seen as a response to former President Donald Trump’s attempt to overthrow the 2020 election, including pushing his Vice President Mike Pence to send back electors from states Joe Biden won – a power Pence did not have.
Among the provisions in the Democrats’ legislation, it clarifies that the vice president’s role in the process is purely ceremonial. The plan also makes it harder for lawmakers to object to the election certification, making the threshold to sustain an objection 3/5 of the chamber. Currently, it only takes one senator or one House member to object.
The senators called their legislation a ‘discussion draft’ and said they thought the proposal ‘serves as a foundational outline for key reforms that address the shortcomings of the 1887 law.’
