Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) released the following statement after Senate Republicans blocked the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Voting Act.
“Nothing is more fundamental to our Democracy than preserving our freedom to vote as Americans. I am proud to cosponsor the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act in the Senate and I strongly support restoring the Senate to its original principle of majority vote as our Constitution was written so this legislation can finally be passed. We cannot let the procedural rules of the U.S. Senate get in the way of the people’s fundamental freedoms under the Constitution.
“Despite the outcome of the vote today, the stakes are too high to allow our work to end. 19 states have already passed laws making it harder for Americans to vote. In Michigan, Republicans are using a little used section in our Constitution to go around the Governor’s veto to try to limit Michiganders’ freedom to vote. These actions would take away many of the voting improvements Michiganders overwhelming voted for in 2018. I strongly oppose this effort. And I will continue both in Michigan and in the U.S. Senate to fight to protect our freedom to vote.”
U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) released the following statement after Senate Republicans blocked passage of voting rights legislation to protect American democracy:
“The right to vote is the bedrock of our democracy – and safeguarding this right is one of our most sacred constitutional duties as lawmakers.
“The same lies that led to the January 6th attack on our Capitol have fanned out across the nation where they have been propped up in state legislatures – including in Michigan – as a false pretense to make it more difficult to vote. We also saw how close we came in Michigan to a constitutional crisis during the certification of what was a free, fair and secure election in 2020.
“We cannot take our democracy for granted – we must protect the rights of Americans across our country. We should encourage – not deter – Americans from exercising their right to participate in free and fair elections. Unfortunately my Republican colleagues have again blocked critical voting rights legislation from advancing and are allowing voter discrimination laws across the country to go unchecked.
“Despite that, I remain committed to passing legislation that expands access to the ballot box and makes it easier for citizens to participate in our democratic process. All Americans deserve to have their voices heard – and I’ll continue highlighting why this legislation is so important.”
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