As the first woman or person of color to hold the position of vice president, Kamala Harris made history once more on Wednesday when she tied the record for the most tie-breaking votes in the U.S. Senate.
With her 31st vote, Kalpana Kotagal’s appointment to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was advanced. John C. Calhoun, who held the position from 1825 to 1832, was the only other vice president to receive this many votes.
According to the Constitution, the vice president’s duties include presiding over the Senate and mediating deadlocks in the upper house. Democrats possess 51 seats in the current 118th Congress, while Republicans retain 49 seats.
Chuck Schumer, the majority leader in the Senate, praised Harris’s achievement on the Senate floor. The Hill newspaper paraphrased him as stating, “I want to note that this is a history-making moment for the United States Senate.”
Harris later told reporters, “I think there’s still so much that we have to do. It is a moment.
“My mother gave me great advice, which is that I may be the first to do many things,” she continued. “I’ll make sure I don’t end up being the last.”
Harris tied the record in 2.5 years, as opposed to Calhoun, who took 8 years to reach his number. It’s a reflection of her particular circumstances, which include a Senate that is deeply divided along partisan lines.
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