Biden challenges Senate on voting: ‘Tired of being quiet!’

Atlanta:  President Joe Biden challenged senators Tuesday to “stand against voter suppression” by changing Senate rules to pass voting rights legislation that Republicans are blocking from debate and votes.

Biden told a crowd in Atlanta that he’d been having quiet conversations with senators for months over the two bills — a lack of progress that has brought him criticism from activists in his own party. “I’m tired of being quiet!” he shouted to cheers from the crowd.

Biden chastised Republicans for falling in line behind Trump’s election lies. “Today, we call on Congress to get done what history will judge,” Biden said. “Pass the freedom to vote act.”

Current rules require 60 votes to advance most legislation — a threshold that Senate Democrats can’t meet alone because they have just a 50-50 majority with Vice President Kamala Harris to break ties.

“Not a single Republican has displayed the courage to stand up to a defeated president to protect Americans’ right to vote,” Biden said. “Not one. Not one.”

Congressional Democrats have written voting legislation that would usher in the biggest overhaul of U.S. elections in a generation by striking down hurdles to voting enacted in the name of election security. The legislation also would reduce the influence of big money in politics and limit partisan influence over the drawing of congressional districts.

Image courtesy of (Image Courtesy: ABC Chicago)

Share this post