WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) released the following statement after the vote to begin debate on S. 1, the For the People Act, failed to pass in the Senate along party lines:

“The right to vote is the bedrock of our democracy and we cannot stand idly by as Republicans obstruct progress. Senate Democrats are united in the belief that we must act to strengthen and protect voting rights. In state legislatures across the country, we’ve seen nearly 400 bills introduced to restrict access to the ballot. This is nothing but an all-out assault on the right to vote and it demands urgent action.

“But we cannot tie our hands behind our backs or throw our hands up in the air at such a critical moment in history. It’s time to end the filibuster to protect our democracy.”

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