Voting Rights

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, a few weeks ago, toward the end of the legislative session in Texas, Texas Democrats in the statehouse staged a dramatic walkout, denying a quorum and preventing the Texas Republican majority from passing one of the most restrictive voting laws in this country.

Texas Republicans could come back and reconsider the law in a special session, but the extraordinary measures taken by the State Democrats reflect the extraordinary damage of the voting law.

Texas Republicans were on the verge of passing several alarming restrictions: reducing polling hours, eliminating drive-through voting and 24-hour voting centers. The proposed law would have made it easier for a judge to overturn an election and push back the start of Sunday voting--a measure that seemed designed to interfere with voting drives held by Black churches.

Texas already has some of the strictest voting procedures in the country. The additional effort, in the wake of Donald Trump's Big Lie, directly targets all the ways poorer, younger, non-White, and typically Democratic voters cast their ballots.

Of course, Texas is only the most recent flashpoint in the nationwide effort by Republican legislators to contract Americans' right to vote, as you well know, Mr. President.

The tide of Republican voter suppression laws is a direct assault on our democracy and could disenfranchise tens of millions of Americans

Today, I am proud to say, at the Democratic caucus lunch we will host the group of Texas Democrats who bravely fought the voter suppression law in their State. The topic of our discussion will be about how to come together to protect voting rights not just in Texas but across the country.

Next week, the Senate will consider major voting rights legislation. Congress must take action to defend our democracy.

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