Democrats search for path forward on voting rights after Senate bill fails

Washington — Senate Republicans blocked a sweeping elections and ethics reform bill on Tuesday, dealing a significant blow to Democratic efforts to secure voting rights protections on the federal level. But the White House and Democratic leaders in Congress insist that the fight to pass voting rights legislation is not over.

The bill, known as the For the People Act, failed along party lines in a 50-50 vote, far short of the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster. The legislation was Democrats' answer to restrictive voting measures enacted in Republican-led states following the 2020 presidential election. Despite its failure and Republicans' staunch opposition, Democratic leaders say they have several options to move forward with strengthening voting rights. Vice President Kamala Harris, who is leading the Biden administration's efforts on voting rights, said in a statement on Tuesday that "we will not give in, and we will continue the fight to strengthen the right to vote."