Today, Robert Brandon, president & CEO of Fair Elections Center, issued the following statement after Senators blocked public floor debate on the For the People Act and other key democracy and election reforms:
WASHINGTON — “Last night’s procedural vote shows for the second time in two months that there is majority support in the Senate for the essential democracy and election reforms included in the For the People Act, reflecting the 8 in 10 Americans who support passing this crucial legislation. While the filibuster wasn’t used, it still remains the real obstacle to safeguarding voting, the essential foundation of our democracy. For decades it has been deployed against legislation that advances voting rights and racial equality, and continues to stand in the way of protecting the freedom to vote against burdensome, discriminatory barriers at the state level. The path forward for this bill is clear: the Senate must eliminate the filibuster and make the For the People Act the top priority for passage when Congress returns from recess in September.
“This year, states have seen one of the largest waves of voting restrictions in living memory; these harmful laws threaten our democracy and put voting rights for millions of Americans at risk. To truly be a democracy, our country’s government must be responsive to and reflective of the will of its voters. When it comes to guaranteeing our freedom to vote, failure is not an option. Congress and President Biden must continue to prioritize passing federal voting rights legislation by any means necessary in order to make sure all voters can cast their ballots securely and fairly.”
