1. United States
2. Wisc.
3. Letter

I urge you to heed the warnings against overruling the Senate Parliamentarian's decision on California's Clean Air Act waivers. Overriding this longstanding precedent and defying the Government Accountability Office's determination would set a dangerous precedent that could undermine centuries of Senate rules and procedures. As Senator Whitehouse emphasized, once the Parliamentarian is disregarded on this matter, it opens the door for any future majority to overrule the Parliamentarian's rulings on virtually any legislative issue. This Nuclear Option risks dismantling the filibuster itself and giving unchecked power to the executive branch to unilaterally deem any agency action as a "rule" subject to expedited congressional disapproval. Respecting the Parliamentarian's ruling preserves the integrity of the Congressional Review Act's limits and avoids a slippery slope that could enable either party to abuse these procedures for partisan ends across a wide range of policies, from FDA drug approvals to FCC licenses. Rather than pursuing this destructive path, the established administrative process remains available to reconsider specific waivers through proper regulatory channels. I implore you to uphold the Senate's institutional norms and refrain from taking the drastic step of overruling the Parliamentarian, which Senator Thune rightly warned is "totally akin to killing the filibuster." Maintaining these crucial guardrails is vital for the Senate's ability to thoughtfully legislate on behalf of all Americans.