Racine Sun

A U.S. senator from Wisconsin who advocates for unity in providing “fairness, equality and economic opportunity for all” supported the passing of two voting rights bills as she addressed the Senate on Jan. 19.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin advocates for the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and Freedom to Vote Act that she believes will “remove barriers to the ballot box and protect the constitutional right to vote,” a press release said.

The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021, which passed the House on Aug. 24, 2021, would establish “new criteria for determining which states and political subdivisions must obtain preclearance before changes to voting practices may take effect,” Congress.gov said.

The Freedom to Vote Act, introduced in the Senate on Sept. 14, 2021 “expands voter registration (e.g., automatic and same-day registration) and voting access (e.g., vote-by-mail and early voting).” Congress.gov said under the bill, Election Day would be a federal holiday.

“I rise because it is time for the Senate to stand on the side of protecting our very democracy and the freedom to vote,” Baldwin said in a video of her speech to the Senate. “You know, this used to be a bipartisan issue, and I was proud to know the history that the Voting Rights Act of 1965 passed the Senate 77-19 and in 1982 when it was reauthorized, extending it.”

On Jan. 19, the Senate voted 52-48 against changing its rules that requires 60 votes to end a filibuster and ultimately pass the two voting rights bills. Republicans have used the filibuster to block Democrat’s voting-rights legislation.

“We can no longer allow a filibuster from Senate Republicans to federalize voter suppression and obstruct action that will strengthen our Democracy,” Baldwin tweeted. “We need to pass legislation that removes barriers to the ballot box and protects #VotingRightsForThePeople.”

Responding to a Jan. 18 post on Facebook in which Baldwin decried Republicans in Wisconsin undermining people’s faith in elections by “running a taxpayer-funded promotion of Trump's Big Lie,” Jim Errthum asked if Baldwin had sponsored any legislation that was for the people’s benefit.

“You’re now on record for supporting the ‘John R. Lewis voting cheaters bill.’ History will not be kind to you or your lack of results for Wisconsin,” Errthum said on Facebook.