Obstacles to Voting Rights Legislation and Filibuster Reform

The For the People Act, a bill created by House Democrats after the 2018 midterm elections, could have been the most sweeping expansion of voting rights in a generation.

On Tuesday night, however, Senate Republicans filibustered the bill before it could even be debated.

What lessons can we take from its demise? 

Guest: Nicholas Fandos, a congressional correspondent for The New York Times. 

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Background reading: 

• By blocking the sweeping voting rights bill, Republicans dealt a blow to Democrats’ attempts to counter a wave of state-level ballot restrictions, while also supercharging a campaign to end the legislative filibuster.
• In the wake of the bill’s demise, Democrats and civil rights groups have reaffirmed their resolve to fight for voting protections in Congress.

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