• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
Voting Rights Advocates Decry ‘Devastating’ Georgia Measure Limiting Ballot Access

Senate Republicans Again Block Voting Rights Legislation

October 20, 2021
Judge Continues Block On Defunding Planned Parenthood

Judge Continues Block On Defunding Planned Parenthood

July 11, 2025
President Of ICE-Raided Pot Farm Doled Out Thousands In Donations To Newsom, Dems

President Of ICE-Raided Pot Farm Doled Out Thousands In Donations To Newsom, Dems

July 11, 2025
Tariffs Help US Government Post Unexpected June Surplus

Tariffs Help US Government Post Unexpected June Surplus

July 11, 2025
STEVE MILLOY: Climate Activists Wipe Out While Surfing The Tragic Texas Flooding

STEVE MILLOY: Climate Activists Wipe Out While Surfing The Tragic Texas Flooding

July 11, 2025
Iranian Group Reportedly Offers $40 Million Bounty On Trump For ‘Cause Of Allah’

Iranian Group Reportedly Offers $40 Million Bounty On Trump For ‘Cause Of Allah’

July 11, 2025
Organizers Cancel Event After Threats Pile On Against Award-Winning Cartoonist For Offensive Texas Flood Post

Organizers Cancel Event After Threats Pile On Against Award-Winning Cartoonist For Offensive Texas Flood Post

July 11, 2025
California US Attorney Eviscerates ‘Unserious’ Gavin Newsom For Railing Against ICE’s Raid On Marijuana Farm

California US Attorney Eviscerates ‘Unserious’ Gavin Newsom For Railing Against ICE’s Raid On Marijuana Farm

July 11, 2025
Boston Health Commission Employee Arrested In Connection To Fatal Shooting

Boston Health Commission Employee Arrested In Connection To Fatal Shooting

July 11, 2025
New Mine Inches America Closer To Unshackling Itself From China

New Mine Inches America Closer To Unshackling Itself From China

July 11, 2025
‘I’m Not Built For This’: George Santos Tells Tucker Carlson He Might Not ‘Survive’ Prison

‘I’m Not Built For This’: George Santos Tells Tucker Carlson He Might Not ‘Survive’ Prison

July 11, 2025
ICE Rescues Children At Marijuana Farm – LA Mayor Responds With Sanctuary Order

ICE Rescues Children At Marijuana Farm – LA Mayor Responds With Sanctuary Order

July 11, 2025
Clinton for Prison? Ex-DNI Ratcliffe Says 'Enough Evidence' to Indict 'Multiple People' – Report

Facebook Smacks Hillary Clinton With Community Note Over Abortion Claim

July 11, 2025
  • Donald Trump
  • State of the Union
  • Elon Musk
  • Tariffs
  • Congress
  • Faith
  • Immigration
Saturday, July 12, 2025
  • Login
IJR
  • Politics
  • US News
  • Commentary
  • World News
  • Faith
  • Latest Polls
No Result
View All Result
IJR
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Senate Republicans Again Block Voting Rights Legislation

by Bradley Cortright
October 20, 2021 at 4:11 pm
in News
235 17
0
Voting Rights Advocates Decry ‘Devastating’ Georgia Measure Limiting Ballot Access

FILE PHOTO: A sign is seen as voters line up for the U.S. Senate run-off election, at a polling location in Marietta, Georgia, U.S., January 5, 2021. (Mike Segar/Reuters)

491
SHARES
1.4k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Senate Republicans have once again blocked a Democratic effort to start debate on legislation to overhaul voting and election laws.

On Wednesday, the Senate voted 51-49 against starting the debate on the Freedom to Vote Bill. Democrats needed at least 10 Republicans to vote for the move. However none did.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) changed his vote to “no,” which lets him ask for a re-vote on the bill.

VP Harris was in the chair to announce the vote, as Republicans again used the filibuster to block an elections bill from Democrats. The vote was 50-50 (60 needed), but Schumer changed his vote so he can force another procedural vote on cloture. pic.twitter.com/nbDAIol2an

— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) October 20, 2021

The legislation would have made election day a federal holiday, implemented same-day voter registration and automatic registration, required at least two weeks of early voting, expanded access to mail-in voting, restricted efforts to purge voter rolls, and included provisions to protect election workers.

Ahead of the vote, President Joe Biden tweeted, “The sacred right to vote is under unrelenting assault across the country — and the Senate needs to take action to protect it. Senate Republicans need to allow a debate and let there be a vote on the Freedom to Vote Act. Democracy — the very soul of America — is at stake.”

The sacred right to vote is under unrelenting assault across the country — and the Senate needs to take action to protect it. Senate Republicans need to allow a debate and let there be a vote on the Freedom to Vote Act. Democracy — the very soul of America — is at stake.

— President Biden (@POTUS) October 20, 2021

Congressional Democrats quickly reacted to the Republicans’ decision to block the bill:

If we can’t come together to even begin DEBATE on a bill that would defend Americans’ most fundamental right to vote, it’s clear we need to restore the Senate to a body that actually works for the people.

— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) October 20, 2021

The right to vote is the beating heart of our democracy.
The filibuster isn’t even part of the Constitution—in fact, the founders specifically rejected requiring super-majorities to pass bills.
We can’t let Mitch McConnell have veto power over access to the ballot box.

— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) October 20, 2021

The right to vote is under direct assault in states across the country.

But today, Senate Republicans once again used the filibuster to block urgently needed legislation that protects voting rights — and our democracy itself. https://t.co/Co9yJIUTXz

— Progressive Caucus (@USProgressives) October 20, 2021

The right to vote is the bedrock of our democracy. By continuing to filibuster voting rights legislation, Senate Republicans are putting partisan, right-wing efforts in state legislatures ahead of the right of Americans to vote. https://t.co/TlwdnB7eHn

— Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) October 20, 2021

Earlier this year, Senate Republicans blocked debate on Democrats’ “For the People Act,” as IJR reported.

After that vote, Schumer accused Republicans of carrying out “the most sweeping voter suppression in 80 years, capitalizing on and catalyzed by Donald Trump’s ‘big lie.’”

“The Republican leader flatly stated that no matter what the states do to undermine our democracy, voter suppression laws, phony audits, partisan takeovers of local election boards, the Senate should not act,” he said, adding, “My colleagues, if senators 60 years ago held that the federal government should never intervene to protect voting rights, this body would have never passed the Voting Rights Act. The Republican leader uses the language and the logic of the Southern senators in the 60s who defended states’ rights, and it is an indefensible position.”

Tags: Chuck SchumerJoe Bidenpolitics
Share196Tweet123
Bradley Cortright

Bradley Cortright

IJR, Senior Writer He's written for Independent Journal Review since 2019.

Advertisements

Top Stories June 10th
Top Stories June 7th
Top Stories June 6th
Top Stories June 3rd
Top Stories May 30th
Top Stories May 29th
Top Stories May 24th
Top Stories May 23rd
Top Stories May 21st
Top Stories May 17th

Join Over 6M Subscribers

We’re organizing an online community to elevate trusted voices on all sides so that you can be fully informed.





IJR

    Copyright © 2024 IJR

Trusted Voices On All Sides

  • About Us
  • GDPR Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Editorial Standards & Corrections Policy
  • Subscribe to IJR

Follow Us

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Politics
  • US News
  • Commentary
  • World News
  • Faith
  • Latest Polls

    Copyright © 2024 IJR

Top Stories June 10th Top Stories June 7th Top Stories June 6th Top Stories June 3rd Top Stories May 30th Top Stories May 29th Top Stories May 24th Top Stories May 23rd Top Stories May 21st Top Stories May 17th