Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
01.19.22
Peters Spoke on Senate Floor in Support of Passing the Freedom to Vote Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to Secure Our Democracy
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today spoke on the Senate floor to urge his colleagues to pass vital voting rights legislation – the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Peters emphasized the urgent need to protect the right to vote for all Americans and safeguard our democracy – and highlighted how Michigan came dangerously close to a constitutional crisis following a free, fair and secure election in 2020.
“Nothing less than the very future of our democracy is at stake, and we must act or risk losing what so many Americans have fought for – and died for – for nearly 250 years,” said Senator Peters. “The right to vote, the right to self-governance, the right of the American people to choose and fire public officials – is our nation’s most foundational freedom.”
“The American people overwhelmingly support these commonsense measures – and they deserve to know where we stand,” Peters continued. “I proudly stand on the side of democracy, and I urge my colleagues to stand with me in passing the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.”
To watch video of Senator Peters’ remarks, click here.
Below is the text of Senator Peters’ remarks, as prepared for delivery:
“Mr. President –
“Just over fourteen months ago, our nation stood on the brink of a constitutional crisis, as the former president and his followers attempted to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power and overturn the results of a free and fair election.
“Instead of accepting the will of the voters and upholding the foundations of our constitutional republic, President Trump and his followers engaged in a campaign of blatant disinformation and political interference. They attempted to coerce state and local elections officials to make false claims of widespread fraud, then use those claims to not certify election results and reject the will of the people.
“All to ensure the former president could stay in power at any cost.
“My home state of Michigan was at the very center of this battle in 2020, when our state Board of Canvassers met to certify the undeniable fact that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won the state of Michigan and its sixteen electoral votes. But we came dangerously close to the kind of anti-democratic and authoritarian behavior the United States has long decried in other nations.
“It came down to one vote. Just one vote – from one Republican member of the Board of Canvassers. One canvasser who dared to withstand mounting political pressure for him to ignore the will of the people. One canvasser who chose to ignore blatant lies and disinformation. His one vote was all that stood between a secure, free and fair election – and a constitutional crisis.
“This one Republican board member knew his decision to follow the law would cost him his position on the board. He knew his physical safety would be threatened and yet he stood his ground.
“He fulfilled his constitutional duty and followed the will of the people of Michigan by certifying the election results. What was his reward for his courageous vote? Republicans quickly removed him from the board, sending a clear message and threat to those who would follow him.
“Despite failing to coerce enough officials to ignore the law and falsify election results, and despite losing one bogus challenge after another in federal courts, we all know that the former president didn’t stop his efforts there.
“No, instead, he rallied his supporters and incited them to attack the U.S. Capitol Building – the very citadel of our democracy – to disrupt Congress as we conducted the ceremonial certification of the results.
“Thanks to the brave actions of law enforcement officers, the National Guard, and so, so many others, our democracy withstood these unprecedented attacks on our constitutional republic.
“This attack shook the very foundation of our democracy and exposed cracks that shows that it’s more fragile than we ever thought possible.
“Despite all of this, I believe that we need to celebrate that the 2020 presidential election was secure, according to the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI. We should celebrate that we had record turnout even in a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic. And we should commend the election workers who made this feat possible.
“Instead, too many people – including too many of my Republican colleagues – have continued to sow doubt in the integrity of our electoral process, and these actions threaten the very bedrock of our democracy.
“Instead of condemning falsehoods and violence, there is a concerted effort underway in Michigan and all across our country to rewrite history, remove election officials, and rewrite state laws to limit voter participation.
“One of the bills that was introduced in the Michigan legislature would lock up absentee ballot drop boxes before Election Day. One city clerk called this idea crazy and said it makes no sense at all. I agree.
“Another bill would restrict the ability of state election officials to send out absentee ballot applications to voters. In fact, Michigan Republicans filed 39 bills in the state legislature to restrict voting rights.
“Nothing less than the very future of our democracy is at stake, and we must act or risk losing what so many Americans have fought for – and have died for – for nearly 250 years.
“The right to vote, the right to self-governance, the right of American people to choose and fire public officials – is our nation’s most fundamental freedom.
“We can protect that right and ensure every American has equal access to the ballot box, and we can do it by simply passing two bills before us.
“The Freedom to Vote Act will protect the rights of voters by facilitating registration, early voting, and vote by mail. It will set a standard to ensure that every citizen in every state has guaranteed rights.
“The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act takes additional steps to address the practices that have historically been used to discriminate against voters simply based on their race.
“And despite some of the Republican arguments that I’ve already heard today, the Constitution is very clear. We’ve heard that from Article One of the Constitution and many times, Congress has continued to strengthen the voting rights of individuals.
“The Fifteenth Amendment clearly states that the right of citizens cannot be abridged by a state, and clearly states, and I quote, Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. And that’s just what Congress has done in passing the Voting Rights Act of ‘65, the Help America Vote Act, the National Voter Registration Act. Congress has done this in the past. We need to do it again.
“The American people overwhelmingly support these commonsense measures – and they deserve to know where we stand.
“And for that reason, after every Senator has had a chance to speak, the debate must come to an end and we must have an up or down vote on these bills.
“Mr. President, I believe history will not be kind to colleagues of mine who stand in the way of democracy.
“And make no mistake about it – we are at a pivotal moment in our nation’s history. Our democratic republic and our most treasured values are in danger. If we fail to act, we may lose them.
“Mr. President, I proudly stand on the side of democracy, and I urge my colleagues to stand with me in passing the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.”
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