Washington, D.C. — Today, Republican lawmakers blocked the U.S. Senate from moving ahead toward debate of the Freedom to Vote Act, a compromise measure that would specifically counter state laws aimed at suppressing voter turnout and sabotaging valid election results. In response, William Roberts, managing director for Democracy and Government Reform at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
Protecting the fundamental right to vote is not a partisan issue, and the Senate filibuster should not be used to block debate of this critical legislation. The Freedom to Vote Act must be enacted now to counteract discriminatory anti-voting laws, which have been passed in at least 17 states. These state laws are specifically designed to suppress voters of color, voters with disabilities, and other historically marginalized groups. They also give partisan politicians the power to sabotage valid election results—a frightening prospect given the ongoing efforts to undermine the results of the 2020 election. Lawmakers should take immediate action to reform the arcane filibuster rules so the Senate can debate and pass this measure. The future of our democracy is at stake.
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