Washington (January 19, 2022) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement today after Senate Republicans blocked voting rights legislation for the fifth time.

“The fight for voting rights and for our democracy will not stop today on the floor of the United States Senate. We will continue it house-to-house, door-to-door, voter-to-voter in 2022 and beyond,” said Senator Markey. “The origin of the word franchise – the right to vote – is free. Interfering with, suppressing, or eliminating the franchise is taking away someone’s freedom, and that is what Republicans are doing with their opposition to passing the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act.  They want to make it as hard as possible for Black, Brown, immigrant, young, LGBTQ+, low-income, and other American citizens to vote. They do not care about the U.S. Constitution or the rights it bestows; they only care about winning at any cost in 2022 and 2024. That cost, however, is the freedom upon which our democracy is based.  We need to abolish the filibuster for the sake of democracy and pass voting rights legislation. Our collective freedom depends on it.”