The Democrat-controlled Senate invoked the so-called "nuclear option," ending the ability for minority Republicans to continue using filibusters to block some of President Barack Obama's judicial and executive nominations after a 52-48 vote on Thursday, CNN reported. Thursday's change affected presidential executive nominations such as ambassadors and agency heads, along with judicial nominations except for Supreme Court appointees, CNN also reported.
The filibuster voting has been changed to a simple majority vote rather for the majority party, in this case the Democrats, needing 60 votes to nominate a candidate.
"A deliberate and determined effort to obstruct everything, no matter what the merits, just to refight the results of an election is not normal. And for the sake of future generations, it cannot become normal," President Obama said of the vote and change in the law.
Senate Republicans, meanwhile, warned that the so-called nuclear would worsen the partisan gridlock in Washington.
"This changes everything, this changes everything," Senator John McCain told reporters. "They suceeded and they will pay a very, very heavy price for it."
"You'll regret this and you may regret it a lot sooner than you think. The Democratic playbook of broken promises, double standards and raw power - the same playbook that got us Obamacare - has to end. It may take the American people to end it, but it has to end," added Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell who said the tactic was merely a strategy to divert from the problems the Democratic Party has experienced in recent weeks with the Affordable Healthcare Law's rollout, news reports said.
