WASHINGTON, D.C.-- Late yesterday, the Senate Rules and Administration Committee advanced S.1, the For the People Act, to the floor for a final vote. The For The People Act is a landmark democracy reform package that is designed to create nationwide automatic and same day voter registration, strengthen anti-corruption laws to curb the influence of corporate polluters, put an end to partisan gerrymandering, restore voting rights for 1.7 million formerly incarcerated people, and more.
Over the course of the hearing, Senate Republicans peddled racist claims and lies while seeking to attach dozens of amendments intended to weaken the legislation and bog down the process. As the landmark legislation heads to the Senate floor, Republicans are expected to now exploit the dated filibuster rule to block the passage of the modern-day civil rights bill. During the Jim Crow era, the filibuster was used as a tool to block civil rights legislation, including widely-supported bills to ban poll taxes, end lynching, and advance the rights of Black Americans. This pattern is still repeated today.
In response, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune issued the following statement:
“The Sierra Club calls on the Senate to eliminate the filibuster as it currently stands. If we are to progress, to expand and protect everyone’s rights, we must root out the tools used to uphold white supremacy, including the Jim Crow filibuster.
“The American people voted in droves during the 2020 election, demanding change and pushing for progress. We have spoken and it's past time for the Senate to implement bold transformational democracy reforms that create an inclusive, fair and just system. The will of the people must be taken seriously, not squashed by political whims.
“Every person has the right to drink clean water, to breathe clean air, and to be free to exercise their democratic rights. For generations, the Jim Crow filibuster has blocked this progress from being realized. We will not permit this impediment to remain any longer, which is why the Sierra Club joins with millions across the country in calling on the Senate to not let arcane, racist rules stand in the way.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.