Boehner slams Democrats’ filibuster plan

House Speaker John Boehner warned Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid not to proceed with “heavy-handed” efforts to change Senate filibuster rules by a simple majority vote. The speaker promised to kill any bill approved under the altered rules that reached the House.

“Senate Democrats’ attempt to break Senate rules in order to change Senate rules is clearly designed to marginalize Senate Republicans and their constituents while greasing the skids for controversial partisan measures,” Boehner said in a statement. “I question the wisdom of this maneuver, especially at a time when cooperation on Capitol Hill is critical, and fully support Leader McConnell’s efforts to protect minority rights, which are an essential part of our constitutional tradition.

“Any bill that reaches a Republican-led House based on Senate Democrats’ heavy-handed power play would be dead on arrival.”