Today, over 100 state legislators from over 20 states joined U.S. Senate Democrats to rally at the U.S. Capitol to urge the Senate to delay their upcoming recess and pass the For the People Act, a critical voting rights and anti-corruption package that would counteract the restrictive voter laws being advanced nationwide, 18 of which have already become law in 30 states.
“We’re proud to stand with these courageous state legislators who came to Washington to tell their stories from the front line of the voting rights fight. Many of these legislators have seen firsthand how Republicans and their dark money allies are using the Big Lie to restrict access to the ballot box,” said End Citizens United // Let America Vote Action Fund President Tiffany Muller. “While these legislators have been fighting to hold the line in their states, they know that Congress must step in to help. We join them in their call for the Senate to delay the August recess and do whatever it takes to pass the For the People Act.”
After writing a letter to Congress urging passage of the For the People Act, these state legislators came to D.C. to join their heroic colleagues from Texas in asking Congress for help in the fight for voting rights. With self-serving Republican politicians and their dark money allies stopping at nothing to pass legislation that limits the freedom to vote, it is up to the Senate to act quickly to protect voting rights.
Click here to watch the video of the rally
See below for key quotes from today’s rally at the U.S. Capitol:
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U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA): “We know what this is and this is the Delta variant of Jim Crow laws. And the only vaccination is passing the For the People Act”
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U.S. Congressman John Sarbanes (D-MD): “If you look at those communities across the country who are suffering the most at the hand of racial violence… These are the same communities whose political voice in our democracy has been diminished for years… We know that voter suppression and election subversion suppress and diminish the voice of the people across the country. And we know that the voice of big money suppresses and diminishes the voice of the people here in Washington… We are going to win this fight, we are going to pass the For the People Act, and if we have to change the rules in the Senate to do it then so be it.”
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Texas State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer: “We will get the Senate to act by bringing us the For the People Act and doing it before the recess.”
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West Virginia State Senator Mike Green: “There is bipartisan support for the provisions in the Manchin compromise. And that support comes from the people Manchin cares most about: the people of West Virginia.”
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Florida State Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith: “State legislatures like Florida were complicit in the Big Lie… They put up barriers that make it harder for people to vote… We need a federal standard and we need elections infrastructure so we can ensure everyone can safely and freely cast their ballots. We call on the Senate to pass the For the People Act.”
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Wisconsin State Rep. David Bowen: “For some people, when they can’t win elections, they cheat. They change the rules in the middle of the game… We need to stop this attack on our democracy. We need to stop these attacks on our citizens… It is time to deliver the For the People Act… Get it done now.”
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