U.S. Senate Democrats launch bid to pass voting rights by altering filibuster rule

Democrats in the U.S. Senate late on Wednesday launched an effort to change the chamber's filibuster rule, after Republicans used it to block legislation sought by President Joe Biden to expand voting rights. But conservative Democratic Senator Joe Manchin forcefully defended his opposition to changing the filibuster rule, even though he supports the voting rights legislation itself.

Democrats in the U.S. Senate late on Wednesday launched an effort to change the chamber's filibuster rule, after Republicans used it to block legislation sought by President Joe Biden to expand voting rights. The Republican wall of opposition, for the fifth time in less than a year, delivered a new blow to Biden's domestic agenda just months before Nov. 8 congressional elections. A major bill to expand investment in domestic social programs was already languishing in Congress.

Democrats fell far short of the 60 votes they needed to overcome a legislative hurdle known as the filibuster that requires at least 60 votes in the 100-member Senate to advance legislation. But two days of spirited debate on advancing the sweeping bill aimed at enhancing voter participation in U.S. elections culminated with a majority of senators sitting in their seats listening intently to final arguments.

"How can we achieve real consensus on the issues that matter most if only some voters can be heard," Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock said in a plea to Republicans. Democrats urged passage of a bill that they said would strengthen a democracy buffeted by domestic strife and the Jan. 6, 2021, violent riot at the U.S. Capitol at the hands of thousands of supporters of then-President Donald Trump. The rioters were trying to stop a congressional certification of Biden's 2020 victory against Trump.

Underscoring deep divisions in Congress and throughout the nation, Republicans countered that Democrats had fabricated a crisis over voting rights and maintained that little or nothing needed to be done with the way states administer elections. The final tally on limiting debate on an election reform bill https://news.trust.org/item/20220113182721-f9syv that Democrats say is necessary to preserve the right to vote in the United States was 49-51. No Republicans voted to advance the legislation.

The Senate then launched into a second debate, one in which Democrats called for scaling back the chamber's decades-old filibuster rule just for this voting rights bill. The change was designed to circumvent Republican opposition and pave the way for enacting the voting rights bill with a simple majority of Democratic votes. This too was expected to fail because it was being opposed by Republicans and a small number of Democrats.

"Are we going to let our democracy backslide in the 21st century?" Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer asked as debate on the rule change began. "To everyone who believes this chamber is still capable of defending democracy in its hour of great need, I urge a yes vote," he added. NEW STATE LAWS

Several Republican-controlled state legislatures last year, driven by Trump's false claims of widespread election fraud, passed laws that Democrats fear will discourage voting, especially in areas with large blocs of Black, Hispanic and poor people who are part of the core of Democratic supporters. But conservative Democratic Senator Joe Manchin forcefully defended his opposition to changing the filibuster rule, even though he supports the voting rights legislation itself. His vote would be needed to overturn the rule.

"Let this change happen in this way and the Senate will be a body without rules," Manchin said. "We don't have to change the rules to make our case to the American people for voting rights." Biden told a news conference on Wednesday that he had not given up hope of advancing voting rights.

"We've not run out of options yet," Biden said. With the Senate split 50-50, Democrats would need support from all of their caucus members plus a tie-breaking vote from Vice President Kamala Harris to change the chamber's rules on the filibuster. Manchin's fellow conservative Democrat Kyrsten Sinema also opposes changing the rule.

Manchin did, however, open the door for backing narrower election legislation, including providing federal funds to protect non-partisan state election workers against violent threats against them that have been escalating over the past year. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the chamber's top Republican, warned Democrats against revising the filibuster rule on legislation. "The fear is false, the rage is misplaced and today factional fevers will not carry the day," McConnell said.

Among the practices Democrats want to turn into minimum federal voting standards are the opportunity for any registered voter to request a mail-in ballot, at least two weeks of early voting and ballot drop boxes that make voting more convenient in many areas. The Democrats' legislation also would attempt to remove partisanship from the way congressional districts are redrawn every decade. Currently, "gerrymandering" regularly tilts the field to whichever party is in power in the various states.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)