Representative Sharice Davids Slams Republican Senators for Blocking Voting Rights Bill

Speaking on CNN, Representative Sharice Davids (D-Kans.) slammed Republican senators who blocked the For the People Act, a comprehensive voting and election reform bill, from reaching the floor for debate.

“I am so disappointed in my Republican colleagues in the Senate for continuing to block the will of the people,” she said. “There are so many people in Kansas who have reached out to me to tell me that they want to see the For the People Act passed.”

“It is a huge failing on their part to bring such an important issue up for debate, particularly when they are across the country, the Republican leaders across the country are trying to inhibit people from voting, trying to suppress the vote,” she continued. “It’s true in Kansas. We’re still trying to dig ourselves out of the voter suppression issues that [former Kansas Secretary of State] Kris Kobach got us into.”

When asked whether she also blames Democrats, namely Senator Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) and Krysten Sinema (D-Ariz.) whose objections held up the bill amid arguments about abolishing the filibuster,  or the Biden administration, Davids was firm.

“Look, the Democratic Party, and the folks in Kansas who I’ve been working with, have been pushing for this since before I even got elected,” said Davids, who took office in 2019. “The For the People Act was something I was a strong proponent of to be at the top of the priority list when I got to Congress… what we’re seeing is really just obstruction from the Republicans in D.C. and then, you know, in states like Kansas where we have a Republican supermajority that’s really trying to suppress the vote, it’s clear to me that the Republican electeds right now are really just trying to stop people from voting.”

You can watch her interview below.

"I am so disappointed in my Republican colleagues in the Senate," Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids says after Senate GOP blocks the For the People Act. "There are so many people in Kansas who have reached out to me to tell me that they want to see the for the people act passed." pic.twitter.com/ojqmTYX53D

— New Day (@NewDay) June 23, 2021

Democrats have indicated that the fight for voter reform is far from over.

“Democrats will not let this go. We will not let it die. This voter suppression by GOP legislatures cannot stand. We are going to work tirelessly to see that it does not stand,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said yesterday as calls to abolish the filibuster and use reconciliation to pass major healthcare and infrastructure legislation reached new heights.