According to members, none of the Texas lawmakers tested positive in the past week after the first round. Some members of the Texas delegation were present on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, while the delegation met with civil rights leaders at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on Wednesday. However, the pandemic continues to affect everything. The meeting with Abrams and with Clintons will be held virtually on Thursday.Hillary Clinton stated in a statement that "the fight to defend our voting rights is also the fight for democracy,"The Texans hope the high-profile meetings will increase pressure on the Senate and President Joe Biden for voting rights legislation to be passed. This just makes it more likely that Biden's team will want to reconsider or even consider meeting with us, stated Ron Reynolds, a Fort Bend lawmaker. We remain optimistic.They also hope the meeting will allow them to make more inroads in Congress. Trey Martinez Fischer (San Antonio) said that Secretary Clinton served with many senators. Many senators have worked with President Clinton.New developments in the bipartisan infrastructure package could give them a boost on Capitol Hill. Many senators have paid attention to the negotiations surrounding the infrastructure deal. The package passed a critical hurdle when the chamber voted on Wednesday to proceed with a procedural vote.Martinez Fischer said that infrastructure being subject to a Cloture vote creates a lane or at least some space to allow for voting rights to be restored to the narrative. All voting rights advocates should seize this chance now to make the final push.Martinez Fischer was among the coronavirus-positive members. He stated that he experienced mild symptoms last week and began testing negative on Sunday.Texas Democrats want to hear from Abrams as well, ahead of further conversations about the federal legislative strategy. With revised legislation expected to be in place soon, Democrats will try to unite their caucus on an election bill.Martinez Fischer stated that we are looking for the next steps with [Abrams] counsel. What's the ultimate move for S. 1?Texas Democrats point out that the Senate's August recess and the Aug. 7 close of the current Texas special legislative session are crucial factors in determining whether Congress will act on voting rights.The furious Republicans in Texas say they will not be stopped by the Democratic walkout and Governor. Greg Abbott stated that he would call another special session immediately after the current one is over to pass the Republican elections bill. He stated this to a Dallas-Fort Worth TV station in January that there will be no daylight.To kill the special session in Texas, Democrats have pledged to remain out of Texas. Many of them deny or hint at the possibility of a walkout in the future when they are asked about it.Gov. Reynolds stated that Abbott will call us back in. It's unrealistic to assume that our members will be able tell their spouses, children, husbands, and businesses that I'm going to be away for 30 more days. "I don't know when I will be back."
