Senate Democrats Fail To Advance Voting Rights Bill — And Fall Short Of Changing Filibuster

Jan 19, 2022, 10:54pm.

The Biden Administration's months-long push for sweeping voting reform is likely over after Senate Republicans blocked Democrats from moving a voting rights bill, and two moderate Democrats rejected a bid to change the Senate's filibuster rules so the party can pass the legislation on its own.

A view of the Capitol.

The images are from the same company.

The motion to cut off debate on the Freedom to Vote Act failed in the Senate, falling well short of the 60 votes needed to end debate on most legislation.

Senate President Chuck Schumer changed his vote from yes to no in order to let him hold another vote later.

The Senate voted down the Democrats' push to change the rules to allow the voting bill to advance with a simple majority instead of the usual 60 votes.

Minimum standards for early and mail-in voting would be created under the Freedom to Vote Act. Democrats said the bill was a response to Republican efforts to restrict voting. The bill is cosponsored by dozens of Senate Democrats, including Manchin and Sinema, but with the Senate split 50-50 between the two parties, at least 10 Republicans would need to support it for it to move forward. President Joe Biden and other Democrats have argued that changing the 60-vote filibuster is the only way to pass the bill. Last week, Manchin and Sinema said they wouldn't agree to the changes, arguing that the filibuster encourages bipartisanship and prevents the majority party from passing legislation.