WASHINGTON (AP) The Senate has started a debate over a Democratic effort to curb the power of minority Republicans to block presidential nominations.
The Democratic proposal seems likely to succeed. It would change the number of votes needed to end delaying tactics, known as filibusters, from 60 to a simple majority of the Senate's 100 members.
It would apply to executive branch and most judicial nominations, but exclude Supreme Court justices and legislation.
It would be the most sweeping change in decades in the filibuster, which is used to protect the rights of the party in the minority.
While the change would weaken the ability to block President Barack Obama's nominees, Republicans have warned that Democrats will regret the change when the Republicans regain control of the White House and the Senate.
