06.21.21

Ahead Of Vote, Durbin Discusses Importance Of For The People Act

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) took to the Senate floor today to discuss his support for the For The People Act, a bill that would protect Americans from deliberate voter suppression laws by establishing minimum uniform federal standards for voter registration and casting a ballot. Since the January 6th insurrection, many Republican state legislatures have pushed through a wave of voter suppression laws on the basis of false theories of widespread voter fraud—many of which would be prohibited under the For the People Act for federal elections.  The legislation also includes significant campaign finance and ethics reforms aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability in our political system. The Senate will vote to move to debate the bill tomorrow.

“We've seen in the recent past six or seven Republicans publicly break with Donald Trump and some of his more outrageous positions and yet they have been strangely silent on that side of the aisle when it comes to what is happening in states across the nation where we have measures taking place that will limit the right of people to vote. What's wrong with this picture? Is democracy not at its strongest point when more people are participating? And yet, Republican legislatures write bill after bill to limit those who would vote in the future,” Durbin said.

Durbin went on to urge his colleagues to support the For The People Act.

“So I implore my colleagues who may be wrestling with how to vote tomorrow, this is a vote for history. This is democracy on trial. Think about how you want to be remembered by your children's children. If democracy is worth fighting for, even worth dying for, surely a democracy reform bill is worthy of debate in the Senate. Allow the Senate to do its job and debate the For The People Act,” Durbin concluded.

Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations. 

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