By
Sahil Kapur
, Frank Thorp V, Julie Tsirkin and
Rebecca Shabad
-
NBC News
WASHINGTON — Republican senators voted unanimously Wednesday to block the Democratic-sponsored voting rights bill after a tense session.
The vote on the
Freedom to Vote Act
and the John Lewis Act, aimed at improving voting rights, were defeated with 49 votes in favor and 51 against.
The vote was split evenly along party lines, but Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer ultimately chose to vote against it for procedural reasons:
he fell short of the 60 votes needed to prevent a legislative obstruction maneuver. policy
(known in English as a
filibuster
).
[A year in the White House: Biden acknowledges mistakes but highlights progress in the pandemic and the economy]
Democratic leaders in the Senate are preparing tonight to try to change those procedural rules so that they can impose a "political filibuster" to pass legislation without Republican support as soon as floor debate ends. .
This attempt to avoid political obstruction is expected to be carried out this Wednesday night,
although there are no signs that it will be successful.
They celebrate Martin Luther King defying low temperatures and demanding to defend access to the vote
Jan. 18, 202201:02