The U.S. Senate of the 117th Congress has been sworn in, and Democrats now have a 51-50 majority. But due to obstruction by Republican minority leader Mitch McConnell, the Senate still has not passed an organizing resolution that will allow it to do business and attend to the multiple crises we face.

Freshman senators don't have committee assignments, and committees are still chaired by the Republican senators who held those posts in the 116th Congress. This means that urgently needed legislation like COVID relief is stuck in limbo.

There is no need for this delay. The Senate has a clear precedent for an organizing resolution from January 2001, the last time the chamber was split 51-50.

According to that agreement, Democrats would control the chamber because Vice President Kamala Harris casts a tie vote. Both parties would have equal representation on all committees, with Democrats holding the chairs. Tie votes in committees would allow nominees or legislation to proceed to a full vote on the Senate floor.

However, Mitch McConnell has now tacked on a demand. He is insisting that Senate Democrats preemptively surrender any efforts to reform the filibuster, and to have that pledge baked into the organizing resolution.

It is outrageous to insert extraneous demands that were not in place the last time the Senate was split 51-50 in order to allow the legislative branch to function. There is a time and place for debating issues like the filibuster, but the start of a new Congress and administration when the nation is facing multiple crippling crises is not the time.

McConnell must drop his demand, agree to the adopt the 2001 resolution, and allow the Senate to begin business.

Sign the petition: The U.S. Senate must pass a clean organizing resolution now.