Washington Sen. Patty Murray: Voting rights bill ‘should be wakeup call’ on changing filibuster
Aug 25, 2021, 12:07 PM
Shenita Binns (L) and her daughter Ysrael Binns participate in a “Freedom Friday March” protest in the nation's capital. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
(Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Washington state leaders are voicing support for a voting rights bill recently passed by U.S. House Democrats, which would enact sweeping changes to elections nationwide.
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The bill — dubbed the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act — would reimplement voting protections included in the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which were struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013. That would include making it so changes to voting laws made in states with a record of restrictive practices would be subject to a review process from the Department of Justice.
The legislation passed in the House by a 219-212 vote margin, split entirely down party lines. With no Republicans voting in favor of the bill, it likely has a difficult road ahead for potential passage in the Senate.
In the wake of its House passage, Washington leaders were widely supportive, urging the Senate to take action.
“House passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act should be a wakeup call to the Senate: the clock is ticking on voting rights,” Sen. Patty Murray said. “We must use every legislative tool, including an exemption to the filibuster, to ensure voting rights protections are signed into law.”
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Gov. Jay Inslee agreed with that sentiment, stating that “the Senate must follow suit.”
“Our democracy is on the line,” he cautioned.
I’m thrilled to see the House of Representatives pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.
@PattyMurray is right, the Senate must follow suit. Our democracy is on the line. https://t.co/N1q5FKfzQt— Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) August 25, 2021
Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal — who joined Democrats in passing the bill out of the House — warned that it will likely be difficult to continue moving it forward unless changes are made to the current filibuster rules, while stressing the importance of getting it implemented.
“Voting is a right — not a privilege,” she wrote on Twitter. “… But as long as we let the filibuster stand, this necessary bill will be stuck in the Senate.”
Congressional Republicans have criticized the bill as a potential tool for allowing the federal government to restrict the ability of states to change their voting laws.
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