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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSenator Mark Kelly backs rule change on election reform
Link to tweet
https://www.kelly.senate.gov/press-releases/senator-kelly-statement-on-voting-rights-and-senate-rules/
Today, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly released the following statement on potential changes to Senate rules as the Senate debates voting rights legislation:
My year in the Senate has shown me how dysfunctional this place can be, and how that prevents progress on issues that matter to Arizonans. Were seeing that now, as voting rights legislation remains blocked while partisan politicians work to undermine Arizonas successful vote-by-mail system and create more barriers to vote.
As an astronaut and a combat veteran, I can tell you that if NASA or the Navy functioned like the United States Senate, we would never get the rocket off the launchpad and in combat wed never complete the mission. Arizonans deserve a Senate that is more responsive to the challenges facing our country, which is why Ive spoken with Arizonans and my Republican and Democratic colleagues about their views on what can be done to make this place work better. Ive considered what rules changes would mean not just today, but years down the road, for both parties and all Arizonans.
If campaign finance and voting rights reforms are blocked again this week, I will support the proposed changes to pass them with a majority vote. Protecting the vote-by-mail system used by a majority of Arizonans and getting dark money out of our elections is too important to let fall victim to Washington dysfunction.
Whether the Senate fails or succeeds in passing this legislation, I will continue doing this job just as I promised Arizonans: delivering results by working with Republicans and Democrats to find common ground as we have on infrastructure, standing up to party politics, and staying focused on doing what is best for Arizona.
Kelly is a cosponsor of the Freedom to Vote Act, which would establish Election Day as a federal holiday, protect early and mail voting options, ban partisan gerrymandering, and increase election security; he is also a cosponsor of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would re-establish protections under the Voting Rights Act and includes the Native American Voting Rights Act.
helpisontheway
(5,004 posts)KS Toronado
(16,901 posts)The very reason we always hear about our "do nothing congress" get rid of it.
FakeNoose
(32,328 posts)Thank you Senator Mark Kelly for your leadership!
liberalla
(9,165 posts)gab13by13
(20,857 posts)W_HAMILTON
(7,813 posts)Thank you, Senator Kelly!
OMGWTF
(3,891 posts)calimary
(80,693 posts)GB_RN
(2,267 posts)First-year, first term senator, from what I can tell. Getting the lay of the land, as it were. And, TBH, I don't think anyone's shoved a microphone in his face to ask his opinion on the matter, either - unlike his counterpart. Given his lower profile, that may have played into the lack of attention the media give him.
The Emily's List threat yesterday may have been what prompted him to make his support for a rule change explicitly known and in doing so, deliberately put additional public pressure on Joechin Manchinema.
Raster
(20,996 posts)Unfortunately, tRump* and his deviant AZ fanboys and fangirls have made defeating Senator Kelly their prime goal for Arizona.
#FreedomToVoteAct #ProtectTheRightToVote