Washington, DC -- Today Senate Republicans again used the filibuster to prevent the Senate from debating legislation to increase access to the ballot, end partisan gerrymandering and prevent partisan state legislatures from subverting election results, among other provisions. Much like the For the People Act before it, the Freedom to Vote Act ensures that our democracy will work for all of us equally, by addressing long standing issues that have impacted the ability for low-income people and people of color to participate in elections, and responds to new state laws in a number of states that block access to the ballot.
Clean Water Action President and CEO, Bob Wendelgass, released the following statement:
“Enough is enough -- to protect our democracy, the Senate must reform the filibuster. Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans are cynically abusing this outdated rule, which has an ugly history of being used to slow progress on racial justice and civil rights, to hide from debate about a popular bill to expand ballot access and strengthen our elections. It’s clear Senate Republicans don’t respect the American people and are willing to weaken our democracy and disenfranchise voters if it makes it easier for them to regain power."
"Senate Democrats must find the will to overcome Republican obstruction, reform the filibuster and pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Amendment Act. Our freedom to vote and the integrity of our elections are under threat. As usual, voters and communities of color, low-income voters, the elderly, and disabled voters will face the brunt of the assaults on our democracy. It is no coincidence that people most likely to suffer environmental injustice and the worst effects of the climate crisis are also those whose access to the ballot is under attack. We need to act now."
"The provisions in the Freedom to Vote Act are widely supported but we’re running out of time to protect our elections before the 2022 midterms. And this is not the only popular legislation that Senate Republicans are obstructing with the filibuster. Other critical issues like investments to help fight the climate crisis, replace lead service pipes, widen the social safety net, and even prevent a catastrophic default on the nation’s debt have been stopped by the GOP in a craven drive for political gain."
"This is a critical moment -- we must protect our freedom to vote, make sure our democracy works for all of us, and that we have free and fair elections. Failure to act now will be a disaster for our future.”
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Since the organization’s founding during the campaign to pass the landmark Clean Water Act in 1972, Clean Water Action has worked to win strong health and environmental protections by bringing issue expertise, solution-oriented thinking, and people power to the table. www.cleanwater.org