Today, Robert Brandon, president & CEO of Fair Elections Center, issued the following statement after the Senate vote to begin debate on voting rights and democracy reform legislation was blocked by a filibuster:
WASHINGTON — “Today’s vote shows strong support in the Senate for federal action to protect Americans’ voting rights against the wave of ongoing attempts to create barriers to voting in states across the country. But today’s vote also makes it even more clear that the Senate filibuster remains one of the greatest obstacles stopping us from protecting and improving our democracy.”
“The For the People Act is urgently-needed legislation that would protect Americans’ freedom to vote, provide a stopgap against state restrictions on voting accessibility, and end partisan gerrymandering of our federal elections. Supported by 8 in 10 Americans, this bill can help bring us closer to the true ideals of American democracy. Unfortunately, the filibuster, a tool deeply rooted in white supremacy that has long been wielded to block legislation advancing social and political equality, currently stands in the way of enacting these crucial measures. It’s time for our nation to remove this impediment to a fair and representative democracy. By eliminating the filibuster, we can prevent a minority of Senators who represent a minority of voters from continuing to block legislation that is supported by an overwhelming majority of Americans from all political parties, states, and backgrounds. The Senate must act now to protect the fundamental rights of all Americans, including our country’s marginalized communities.”
“Our elected leaders have a responsibility to properly and fairly represent the American people. We urge Congress to remain committed to passing federal legislation, including the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, by any means necessary in order to protect the freedom to vote for all Americans. And we call on President Biden to make clear that voting rights is a crucial priority for his administration and to work diligently with Congress until this crucial legislation is passed. ”
