WASHINGTON – Joe Manchin didn’t budge.
West Virginia’s Democratic U.S. Senator, along with Arizona’s Kyrsten Sinema, refused to allow the Senate to filibuster rules on key voting right legislation Wednesday night.
Manchin spoke on the Senate floor in front of a sign that said, “The United States Senate has never been able to end debate with a simple majority.”
Sinema
“I cannot support such a perilous course for this nation when elected leaders are sent to Washington to unite our country, not divide our country,” Manchin said during his speech. “Putting politics and party aside is what we do.
“It’s time that we do that hard work to forge the difficult compromises that can stand the test of time.”
Both Manchin and Sinema have expressed support for the voting rights legislation.
After the vote, Sinema said she “maintained my longstanding opposition to separate actions that would deepen our divisions and risk repeated radical reversals in federal policy, cementing uncertainty and further eroding confidence in our government.”
“Tonight ... should not be the end of our efforts to make the Senate work better,” she said. “Senators of both parties have offered ideas — including some that would earn my support — to make this body more productive, more deliberative, and more responsive to Americans’ needs.”
Mark Kelly, Arizona’s other Democratic senator, vote with the majority of other Democrats to support the so-called “nuclear option” on the filibuster. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) had proposed a “talking filibuster” for the voting rights bill. That would have required senators to be in the chamber to discuss the measure before a simple majority vote.
Other than Manchin and Sinema, the vote to keep the filibuster rules went along party lines. The final tally was 52-48. Later, the vote on the voting rights measure was 49-51 after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) cast a procedural vote to allow the matter to be brought up again.
“I believe with every fiber in my body that every eligible citizen of voting age should have the right to vote and be protected by law,” Manchin said of the voting legislation. “Everyone. And I believe everyone in here believes the same thing. I truly do.
“This is important. Let’s work it out. Let’s stay here and go at it.”
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) was pleased with the filibuster vote to prevent the so-called “nuclear option.” She also opposed the proposed voting rights legislation.
“Even in an equally divided Senate, a majority of senators saw through the efforts of the Democratic leadership to alter the rules to advance their radical agenda,” Capito said. “Tonight, I was proud to stand to promote bipartisanship when considering legislation.
“Make no mistake: This is not about voting rights. Instead, Democrats’ flip-flopped on their position on the filibuster and attempted a short-sighted power grab to federalize our elections.”
Capito said she hopes the Senate now can focus on other issues.
“Now that Senator Schumer’s blatant attempts to break the Senate have failed, I am hopeful that we can work toward bipartisan solutions to help address the needs and issues facing America,” Capito said. “Issues like rising inflation, the coronavirus pandemic and lack of access to long-promised tests for the American people, the supply chain crisis, the opioid epidemic, and the crisis at our southern border — just to name a few.
“These issues demand our attention, and the American people elected us to tackle them and deliver real and meaningful results that make their lives better. Instead, Senator Schumer and most of my Democrat colleagues are choosing to distract from the pressing issues facing West Virginians so they can advance their radical agenda.”
