GOP blocks Senate Democrats' revised elections bill
By Jordain Carney - 10/20/21 03:36 PM EDT Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked Democrats from advancing a revised bill to overhaul federal elections, marking the latest blow to hopes of getting voting legislation to President Biden.
The Senate voted 49-51 to end debate on whether to bring up the bill, known as the Freedom to Vote Act, falling short of the 60 needed.
The bill would make Election Day a national holiday, set national minimum standards for early voting and voting by mail and include standards for states requiring voter identification. It also has new requirements on disclosing who is behind online ads and aims to stop partisan gerrymandering
Democrats view voting rights and election reform as a top priority as GOP states debate and, in some cases, enact new laws in the wake of the 2020 election, which former President Trump and some of his closest allies have falsely claimed was stolen.
“For every two steps forward, sometimes there are those who try to pull us one step back. Unfortunately, we find ourselves today in the midst of such a struggle. Across the country, the Big Lie – the Big Lie – has spread like a cancer as many states across the nation have passed the most draconian restrictions against voting that we’ve seen in decades. If nothing is done, these laws will make it harder for millions of Americans to participate in their government,” Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on Wednesday.
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https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/577615-gop-blocks-senate-democrats-revised-elections-bill