Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement on Senate Republicans blocking debate on the Freedom to Vote Act.
“Across the Nation, lawmakers have introduced over 400 voter suppression bills in state legislatures. Our Democracy is under siege and today, for the third time this year, Senate Republicans voted against the Senate from even debating legislation to protect voting rights. The Freedom to Vote Act would protect access to the ballot, end partisan gerrymandering and enhance our electoral infrastructure—commonsense measures supported by Americans in both parties. This bill is historic, but it’s also a compromise. Senate Republicans could not bring themselves to vote for the most foundational protections for our sacred right to vote. Today, they voted against voter access, election security, and diminishing the dominance of dark, corporate money in our politics. They also voted against provisions of my own bill, the Accessible Voting Act, which aims to create an accessible voting experience for every voter and ensures the voting needs of the disability community are part of the conversation.
“Let me be clear: At the core of voter suppression is white supremacy. For our Nation’s entire history, there have been efforts to disenfranchise and restrict access to the polls for eligible voters, and especially for Black voters. Our democracy is under attack, and we need to keep fighting to ensure all Americans have a say in their government,” said Senator Casey.
