Schumer: Manchin is a yes on advancing For the People Act but it's not enough to overcome filibuster

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Tuesday that fellow Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin will vote in favor of advancing their party's election reform bill, the For the People Act.

Schumer said he made a commitment to Manchin that he would consider the West Virginia lawmaker's amendment to the bill, in exchange for him voting to proceed on the measure, also known as S 1.

Even if all 50 Senate Democrats vote to advance the bill, 60 votes are needed to overcome the filibuster. 

"I have committed to him that if our Republican colleagues don't obstruct, and allow us to move forward on the debate, I will take up [Manchin's] proposed substitute amendment as the first amendment we will consider," Schumer said during a news conference on Capitol Hill.

Schumer declined to discuss the future of the legislative filibuster and told reporters his caucus he is waiting until after today's vote on the For the People Act to decide how to proceed.

However, he told reporters that Democratic leaders and Senate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders are proceeding with a partisan budget reconciliation bill in addition to any bipartisan infrastructure legislation as a way to avoid the legislation filibuster.