GOP tries to take filibuster pressure off Manchin, Sinema

Republicans are hoping that a short-term debt extension takes some of the Democratic pressure off Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) to reform the filibuster.

The decision from Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to open the door to a two-month extension, which ultimately passed on Thursday night, came as efforts to create a filibuster exemption for the debt ceiling appeared to be gaining momentum as Democrats struggled to figure out how to bypass GOP opposition and suspend the nation’s borrowing limit before a critical Oct. 18 deadline.