Beginning Tuesday, the Senate will proceed to consider voting rights legislation for the first time in my Senate career.
Up until now, Republicans have blocked our ability to even consider voting rights—essentially a “gag rule” on this topic. But we have found a path to begin debate on the Freedom to Vote Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act even over Republican opposition.
We are scrapping our traditional MLK recess to have this debate. So appropriate.
We will dig into the coordinated assault on voting—the attack of January 6 and efforts in many states to restrict voting and undermine electoral integrity.
We’ll discuss how our laws will require minimum standards for voting in federal elections, non-partisan redistricting in Congressional races, transparency of all campaign contributions.
And we’ll discuss Senate rules, including the filibuster and its sad history of being used to block civil rights laws.
I will discuss how Virginians in the 1950’s and 60’s holding the seat I now occupy used the filibuster to push Massive Resistance to civil rights laws.
And we’ll grapple with a fundamental question—what is more important, acting to protect our democracy or adhering to outdated Senate rules that have often been changed over time by both parties?
I believe it will be the most important week of my Senate career.
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