Photo: People For The American Way
Thursday Senate Republicans, with the exception of Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), voted to block debate on the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and prevent the bill from receiving a floor vote.
Michael Waldman, president of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law, had this reaction:
“With the exception of Senator Murkowski, the Senate minority has once again refused to even debate an urgent voting rights bill. It can’t end here.
“Senator Manchin and many others have worked days and nights to develop bills that meet the moment. The Senate majority must not squander this chance to keep our elections fair. Senate procedure can’t be more sacred than the vote itself.
“Our democracy needs reinforcement now. The attacks by those who believe in the Big Lie started before the 2020 election, and they haven’t stopped. Many of these attacks use state law to interfere in democracy. Congress must intervene.
“Together, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act provide the protections that American voters need to fend off racial discrimination and partisan manipulation.
“The Senate majority, the House majority, and the president support both the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act. The Senate must act now to get these two bills to the president’s desk.”
