WASHINGTON: Kamala Harris, who made history as the first woman or person of colour to serve as vice president, has made history again by matching the 191-year-old record for most tiebreaking votes in the Senate.
Her 31st such vote, on Wednesday, advanced the nomination of Indian-origin Kalpana Kotagal to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The only other vice-president to cast so many was John C Calhoun, who was in the post from 1825 to 1832. “It is a moment and I think that there’s still so much left that we have yet to do,” Harris said afterward. “My mother gave me great advice, which is that I may be the first to do many things,” she added. “I’m going to make sure I’m not the last.” Unlike Calhoun, who spent eight years accumulating his total, Harris reached 31 in 2.5 years. It’s a reflection of her unique circumstances, with a narrowly divided Senate and a sharply partisan atmosphere.
Under the Constitution, the role of the vice-president is to preside over the Senate and break ties in case of a deadlock in the upper house. In the current 118th Congress, Democrats hold 51 seats and Republicans have 49 seats. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer hailed Harris’s accomplishment on the floor. “I want to note that this is a history-making moment for the United States Senate,” he was quoted as saying by the Hill newspaper.
In the first two years of Harris’ tenure as VP, the Senate was evenly split, making the nickname of “101st Senator” a reality. Harris cast her first tiebreakers just three weeks into the job in 2021. Fifteen tiebreaker votes in her first year as vice president was also a record, passing Mike Pence’s 13 in all four years on the job, the Politico newspaper reported.
Kotagal, the daughter of immigrants from India, is a diversity, equity and inclusion expert.
Her 31st such vote, on Wednesday, advanced the nomination of Indian-origin Kalpana Kotagal to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The only other vice-president to cast so many was John C Calhoun, who was in the post from 1825 to 1832. “It is a moment and I think that there’s still so much left that we have yet to do,” Harris said afterward. “My mother gave me great advice, which is that I may be the first to do many things,” she added. “I’m going to make sure I’m not the last.” Unlike Calhoun, who spent eight years accumulating his total, Harris reached 31 in 2.5 years. It’s a reflection of her unique circumstances, with a narrowly divided Senate and a sharply partisan atmosphere.
Under the Constitution, the role of the vice-president is to preside over the Senate and break ties in case of a deadlock in the upper house. In the current 118th Congress, Democrats hold 51 seats and Republicans have 49 seats. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer hailed Harris’s accomplishment on the floor. “I want to note that this is a history-making moment for the United States Senate,” he was quoted as saying by the Hill newspaper.
In the first two years of Harris’ tenure as VP, the Senate was evenly split, making the nickname of “101st Senator” a reality. Harris cast her first tiebreakers just three weeks into the job in 2021. Fifteen tiebreaker votes in her first year as vice president was also a record, passing Mike Pence’s 13 in all four years on the job, the Politico newspaper reported.
Kotagal, the daughter of immigrants from India, is a diversity, equity and inclusion expert.