On Wednesday Senate Republicans used the filibuster to block election protection and voting rights legislation from moving forward in the Senate.
The Senate’s Freedom to Vote Act and The Houses John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act were combined to form the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act by the House last week. But as promised, Senate Republicans used the filibuster to block the bill.
U-S Senator Dick Durbin says the package of legislation should have been more important than politics.
“These senators have given their reasons. There's something more important than an existing Senate rule, the rule that has been changed 160 times in the history of this body, the integrity of our free elections, the right to have your vote counted and our oath to uphold the defeat and defend the Constitution, I believe count for more.”
The legislation will standardize election laws and voter access for the nation, rather than a piecemeal, state-by-state approach
Voting rights legislation was blocked three times with a filibuster last year.
