Trump asks Senate to allow legislation to be passed with simple majority

U.S. President Donald Trump has called the Senate to allow legislation to be passed with a simple majority and urged lawmakers to pass healthcare and tax overhauls.

"The U.S. Senate should switch to 51 votes, immediately, and get Healthcare and TAX CUTS approved, fast and easy. Dems would do it, no doubt!" Trump tweeted.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had rejected this same idea when Trump had proposed it earlier.

"The reason for the plan negotiated between the Republicans and Democrats is that we need 60 votes in the Senate which are not there! We either elect more Republican Senators in 2018 or change the rules now to 51%. Our country needs a good 'shutdown' in September to fix mess!" The Hill quoted Trump as saying at the time.

As per local media reports, Senate Republicans are planning to pass an ObamaCare repeal bill and tax reform using reconciliation, a process that requires only 51 votes to pass budget-related measures.