January 19, 2022

Seniors Tell the U.S. Senate: We Are Not Giving Up, Do What it Takes to Protect Our Voting Rights!

Statement by Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans, regarding votes in the U.S Senate on sidelining the filibuster and passing the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act:

“The U.S. Senate had the power on Wednesday to protect our right to vote by passing the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act. That did not happen, much to the chagrin of America’s seniors.

“Doing so would have restored key protections of the Voting Rights Act, strengthened vote-by-mail, defended our right to have our vote counted and preserved our democracy.

“Seniors realize the seriousness of this situation. That is why we needed at least 50 senators to do the right thing: sideline the filibuster and pass this critical legislation TODAY.

“America’s retirees are deeply disappointed that the filibuster, a Jim Crow era procedural tool, has blocked senators from taking the necessary action.

“Retirees in particular have worked long and hard to preserve the fundamental right to vote. They were there for the battle for civil rights in the 1960s and they are here for this fight in 2022. This struggle is about racial justice, justice for seniors, and more.

“No one should have to face unnecessary barriers when casting their ballot. Yet many state legislatures have passed laws aimed at suppressing the vote before the midterm elections.

“If ever there were a time to sideline the filibuster and preserve our democracy, this is it.

“While we are deeply disappointed, we are not giving up on electoral reform that addresses state legislatures’ widespread, draconian efforts to suppress the vote. It is too important not to keep trying.”

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Contact: David Blank,  dblank@retiredamericans.org