(Reuters) – Lawmakers and activists reacted on Tuesday to calls by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for passage of U.S. voting rights reforms, including if necessary getting rid of congressional rules that require 60 senators to support most legislation.
DERRICK JOHNSON, PRESIDENT & CEO, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE (NAACP)
“Our democracy stands in its final hour. Unless President Biden applies the same level of urgency around voting rights as he did for BBB and infrastructure, America may soon be unrecognizable.
While President Biden delivered a stirring speech today, it’s time for this administration to match their words with actions, and for Congress to do their job. Voting rights should not simply be a priority — it must be THE priority.”
JUDITH BROWN DIANIS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ADVANCEMENT PROJECT
“While President Biden’s speech in Georgia today rings the alarm on voting rights, we need to put out the fire by immediately changing Senate rules on the filibuster to pass voting rights legislation. The urgency of this moment cannot be understated…”
CHUCK SCHUMER, U.S. SENATE MAJORITY LEADER
“All of us in the Senate must make a choice about how we will do our part to preserve our democracy. We can’t be satisfied in thinking democracy will win in the end if we aren’t willing to put in the work to defend it. We must act to protect democracy, and we will move forward.”
JOHN CORNYN, U.S. REPUBLICAN SENATOR
“They’re not going to succeed. This is going to be another example of President Biden and his party overpromising and underdelivering,”
ADAM SCHIFF, U.S. DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE
“The filibuster and the right to vote aren’t equals. One is the bedrock of democracy. The other allows a minority to ignore the will of the people. So when it comes to preserving one or the other, it isn’t a hard choice. The filibuster must die so that democracy can live.”
(Reporting by Nandita Bose; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
