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Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has indicated that he will force a vote on the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act as soon as next week.
"Republican obstruction is not a cause for throwing in the towel. As soon as next week, I'm prepared to bring the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act here to the floor. What we saw from Republicans today is not how the Senate is supposed to work," Schumer said on the Senate floor on Wednesday, according to The Hill.
Schumer's comments come amid a push from the Republican Party to block the Freedom To Vote Act. The proposed piece of legislation sought to make Election Day a national holiday and set nationwide standards for early voting. However, discussion on the bill was cut short after a vote of 49-51 shot down the Freedom To Vote Act.
“For every two steps forward, sometimes there are those who try to pull us one step back. Unfortunately, we find ourselves today in the midst of such a struggle. Across the country, the Big Lie – the Big Lie – has spread like a cancer as many states across the nation have passed the most draconian restrictions against voting that we’ve seen in decades. If nothing is done, these laws will make it harder for millions of Americans to participate in their government,” Schumer said earlier today.
As Election Day nears in 2021 and midterm election campaigns heat up for next year, members of the Biden administration are pushing to repeal some of the stricter voting guidelines that have been implemented in Georgia, Texas and several other states.
“The administration is continuing to press for voting rights legislation to safeguard our democracy from these historic threats to constitutional freedoms and the integrity of elections through legislation, executive actions, outreach, the bully pulpit, and all other means available,” a White House official told The Hill.
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