This week, Republicans in the U.S. Senate voted to block having a debate on the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (S.4), which would restore the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to its full strength and has overwhelming support across the country, with 7 in 10 voters supporting its passage, including 60% of Independents and half of Republicans. After the vote, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer spoke on the Senate floor, calling out Republicans for “implicitly endorsing these partisan Republican actions to suppress the vote and unravel our democracy.”
This is the fifth time Senator Mitch McConnell and Republicans have abused Senate procedure to block voting rights legislation, having already blocked the Freedom to Vote Act, the For the People Act twice, and anti-gerrymandering legislation. This most recent abuse of Senate procedure marked the end of futile attempts at bipartisanship, as Republicans have proven they are simply not acting in good faith in these negotiations.
After Republicans blocked the bill, Democratic Senators began discussions with leadership on how to best move forward with voting rights legislation, joining Leader Chuck Schumer in supporting “an alternative path forward, even if it means going at it alone.” Other Democratic Senators, including Sens. Warner and Carper, expressed support for updating Senate procedure to pass legislation to protect the freedom to vote.
Meanwhile, state Republican politicians have continued their assault on the freedom to vote and fair and equal representation, highlighting the need for the Senate to do whatever it takes to quickly pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.
In North Carolina, the Republican-controlled legislature passed legislative and congressional maps yesterday. The new maps would increase Republican control from 8 to at least 10 seats and dilute the voice and vote of Black voters in the state.
In Ohio, Republican politicians released proposed congressional maps that would rig the congressional seats in their favor. This is the most aggressive attempt this year by self-serving politicians to silence the voice of voters.
In New Hampshire, Republicans released a proposed gerrymandered congressional map that would deny New Hampshire voters the fair and equal representation they deserve by packing Democratic voters into the second district and minimizing the power of their voice and vote.
These attacks on our democracy and equal representation would be stopped with the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act, which would prevent partisan gerrymandering and ensure voters have fair and equal representation, guarantee that every American has access to the ballot box, end dark money so billionaires can no longer buy our elections, and protect our elections from sabotage by ensuring voters are safe from intimidation and trusted local officials can count every vote. With Senate Republicans placing their partisan politics over the majority of voters and refusing to compromise on commonsense proposals, it is more crucial than ever that the Senate does whatever it takes to ensure Americans can make their voices heard in our democracy. Senate procedure can no longer be a barrier to protecting the fundamental freedom to vote.
###