Today, Senate Republicans unanimously voted to filibuster the Freedom to Vote Act. DNC Chair Jaime Harrison released the following statement:

“Today, Senate Republicans struck another blow to American democracy. They channeled the spirit of Senator Strom Thurmond and hearkened back to some of the Senate’s darkest days by filibustering a crucial voting rights bill.

“The right to vote is at the core of our democracy. It is the great equalizer. For many Americans, including myself, this right is personal, almost sacred. We know the stories of hooded mobs and literacy tests. We know our vote was fought for and earned with the lives, blood, sweat, and tears of our ancestors. We know how far we’ve come and we never want to go back. Republicans have made it abundantly clear that they are willing to prioritize political games and power over our fundamental rights. They’ve chosen to serve the Big Lie over the American people.

“The right to vote is just that, a right. We should be working to make it easier, not more difficult, for every eligible American to participate in free and fair elections. And yet, Republican leaders across the country have engaged in a relentless, surgical campaign to restrict voting rights and make it harder for people, especially people of color, to make their voices heard.

“Republicans know they can’t win without cheating, and the anti-voter regulations put in place by Republican governors and legislatures nationwide are nothing more than a blatant attempt to silence voters in order to cling to power. Our democracy is at stake, and Senate Republicans didn’t even have the courage to allow debate on the issue. Their partisanship knows no bounds. They’ve chosen to be active participants in the undermining of our democracy. It is truly unconscionable.

“The American people should know that the Democratic Party will never stop fighting to secure and protect their right to vote. We know, just like the majority of Americans, that a vote is an expression of hope — hope that change is possible, hope that our voices matter, hope that the elected officials we put our faith in will deliver for our communities. Republicans can try to kill that hope, but the Democratic Party will do everything to protect it. We will win this battle to protect the voting rights of all Americans. History will remember the Democratic Party as the party of voting rights.”