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Senate Republicans Blast Democrat-Led Voting Rights Bill
Posted
June 17, 2021
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June 17, 2021
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2:48Now PlayingSenate Republicans on Thursday slammed a sweeping Democratic-sponsored elections and voting bill, calling it "a brazen power grab" and "dangerous piece of legislation."
The Democrats' bill would bring about the largest overhaul of U.S. voting in a generation, touching nearly every aspect of the electoral process.
It would remove hurdles to voting erected in the name of election security, like voter ID laws, while curtailing the influence of big money in politics. It would create a nonpartisan process for redrawing congressional districts, while expanding mail voting and early voting, while restoring the rights of felons to cast a ballot, among scores of other provisions.
Democrats are touting the elections and voting bill as the best way to counteract voting restrictions that advanced in Republican-controlled statehouses across the U.S. in the wake of Donald Trump's false claims about a stolen 2020 election.
But Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell brushed off that rationale and called it "a solution in search of a problem."
"I've taken a look at all these new state laws and none of them are designed to suppress the vote," McConnell said. "And there is no rational basis for the federal government trying to take over all of American elections."
Texas Senator Ted Cruz went even further, calling it "an attempt by Democrats to federalize elections and to ensure that Democrats cannot lose for the next 100 years."
With Republicans unanimously opposed to the legislation, passage of the bill will be a huge lift in an evenly split 50-50 Senate, where Vice President Kamala Harris can cast tie-breaking votes.
West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat, has opposed the bill as written, calling it divisive. But he released a proposed list of changes ahead of a meeting of Senate Democrats Thursday to discuss a path forward.
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