As Republicans Obstruct Voting Rights Protections, Senator Murray Urges Senate Democrats to Press Forward, Defend Democracy

Senator Murray: “If our Republican colleagues aren’t willing to stand up for our democracy, we can’t let them hide behind Senate rules and block Democrats from doing so on our own. Instead, we must use every legislative tool needed—including an exemption to the filibuster—to get the Freedom to Vote Act to President Biden’s desk.”

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) issued the following statement after Republicans blocked debate on the Freedom to Vote Act.

“Republicans had the opportunity today to work together with Democrats to protect the future of our democracy—to send a strong signal, that our government is going to guarantee the right to vote to every citizen in this country. Nothing in this bill is partisan, in fact many of its measures have already been adopted by both Republican and Democratic state governments.

“But Republicans have chosen to obstruct even the chance to debate this critical legislation, deciding to give a wink and nod to a dangerous and coordinated national effort to erect roadblocks to the ballot box and suppress the right to vote, especially for communities of color.

“The right to vote is fundamental to our democracy—Democrats cannot just give up and walk away from this.

“If our Republican colleagues aren’t willing to stand up for our democracy, we can’t let them hide behind Senate rules and block Democrats from doing so on our own. Instead, we must use every legislative tool needed—including an exemption to the filibuster—to get the Freedom to Vote Act to President Biden’s desk.

“The stakes are simply too high to fail—one way or another, the Senate must pass protections voting rights protections. The future of our democracy hangs in the balance.”

Earlier this week, Senator Murray spoke on the Senate floor in strong support of the Freedom to Vote Act. Senator Murray is determined to make sure the Senate can act on voting rights, and has consistently stated that federal voting rights protections are a top priority for her, telling KUOW earlier this summer that the For the People Act was, “the most important” bill the Senate would vote on this Congress. In March, Murray also announced her support for an exemption to the filibuster on voting rights protections, telling the Spokesman-Review, “the For the People Act is essential to making sure our democracy stays a democracy and I will consider every legislative option, including an exemption to the filibuster, to ensure it can be signed into law.”