Senate Republicans blocked a measure authored by Democrats that would overhaul election and voting laws, calling the legislation a partisan power grab.
Democrats voted unanimously to begin debate on the For the People Act, a bill they framed as critical voting rights legislation.
But the party only controls 50 votes in the Senate, and the measure did not win any of the 10 GOP votes needed to launch a debate on the measure. It marked the third time the GOP filibustered a major Democratic initiative since Democrats regained the majority in January.
The vote was 50 Democrats in favor and 50 Republicans against.
Democrats consider the measure a top priority, and the White House signaled its importance by sending Vice President Kamala Harris to preside over the debate even though she would not be able to cast a vote on the bill.
The bill would overhaul campaign finance laws, ban voter ID requirements, extend early voting days, reform redistricting, and enable ballot harvesting.
Democrats said the bill would counter new voter integrity laws passed in Georgia, Montana, and other states they believe will make it more difficult for people to vote by requiring voter identification, among other changes.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, called the changes “the most sweeping voter suppression laws in 80 years” and said the bill authored by Democrats would neutralize those changes.
Democrats implored the GOP to vote in favor of at least beginning debate on the bill.
“They don’t want to even debate it because they are afraid,” Schumer said. “They want to deny the right to vote, make it harder to vote for so many Americans. And they don’t want to talk about it. They want to sweep it under the rug and hope Americans don’t hear about it.”
Republicans argued Tuesday the measure would give the federal government control over elections, which are now handled locally. They disputed claims that state changes now underway aim to suppress votes, arguing they are intended to shore up election integrity and reduce voter fraud.
Republicans said the Democrats’ overhaul measure would enable voter fraud and give Democrats an advantage in future elections partly by changing the Federal Election Commission to a partisan body.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called the bill “the Democrats’ transparently partisan plan to tilt every election in America permanently in their favor.”
Even centrist Republicans would not vote for the bill.
Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, pointed out voter participation increased to record levels in many states in the 2020 election.
“This information contradicts the underlying premise in S. 1, that we must overturn the law in every state in our nation in order to preserve the right to vote,” Collins said.
Collins said the new regulations imposed under the measure would be burdensome and overturn voter integrity laws, such as the requirement to show voter identification in 35 states.
Collins said a provision to allow ballots to be turned in seven days after the election would create chaotic elections. She called the measure “flawed” and said it could not serve as the basis for a bipartisan agreement.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a centrist Republican from Alaska, said the measure contained “noteworthy goals,” but she would vote against it.
“This bill before the Senate isn’t so much about voting rights as it is a partisan federal takeover of the election system,” Murkowski said.
The filibuster means Democrats must either rewrite the bill to win GOP support or find enough votes in their own party to get rid of the filibuster.
Several Democrats either oppose ending the filibuster or are hesitant.
Democrats Tuesday secured last-minute support from centrist Democrat Joe Manchin of West Virginia by agreeing to allow a vote on his alternative measure, which would add a voter ID requirement and make Election Day a national holiday, among other changes.
Schumer, a New York Democrat, is weighing the idea of breaking the bill into smaller parts that might pass with some Republican support.
“We are going to have the vote, then we are going to discuss the future,” Schumer said Wednesday.
In the meantime, Democrats plan to “take it on the road,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar said on the Senate floor Tuesday. The Minnesota Democrat and Rules Committee Chairwoman said her panel would hold a field hearing in Georgia to learn how election law changes affect voters.
