Senate Republicans Block Freedom to Vote Act from Floor Debate

WASHINGTON, D.C. — This afternoon, all 50 Senate Republicans opposed a procedural vote to open debate on the Freedom to Vote Act, S.2747. All members of the Democratic Caucus, except Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), voted in favor of advancing the bill, but failed to overcome a Republican filibuster. The only way to end a filibuster is to vote for cloture, or the end of debate, which requires 60 votes. Schumer switched his vote to a “no” for procedural reasons and said the Senate will consider the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act as soon as next week.

“Why would you shy away from debating this bill unless you do not want the American people to hear the truth?” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn) on the Senate floor, calling out her Republican colleagues from even opening debate on the legislation. Klobuchar worked with several other Democrats, including Schumer and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), to draft S.2747. S.2747 is a compromise bill revised from For the People Act, S.1, which Republicans blocked a few months ago. S.2747 would have established national standards for voting and elections, pushing back against the wave of voter suppression laws enacted across the country. 

Read the Freedom to Vote Act here.