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New legislation backed by Joe Biden has been successfully blocked by Senate Republicans.
The Senate voted 49-51 on whether to take up the “Freedom to Vote Act.”
This fell short of the 60 votes required to overcome a GOP filibuster.
Several GOP-led states, such as Texas, have passed election integrity laws following allegations of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election.
In response, Democrats claims this bill would “protect our elections from interference,” such as voter suppression, dark money, and partisan gerrymandering.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, switched his vote to a “nay.”
This was a procedural move that will allow Schumer to submit the legislation for a re-vote in the future.
supported in response to the passage of election security overhauls in GOP-led states.
The bill would introduce sweeping federal voting rights legislation backed by President Biden on Wednesday, in a move likely to renew calls among some Democratic leaders to alter filibuster rules.
The result marked the third time this year that Republicans have blocked the legislation, which Democrats have supported in response to the passage of election security overhauls in GOP-led states.
Biden issued a “scathing statement,” Fox News notes.
“Senate Democrats have worked hard to ensure this bill includes traditionally bipartisan provisions,” Biden said.
“But Senate Republicans are likely to block even debate on the bill, as they have before on previous voting rights bills. It’s unconscionable.”
More from Fox News:
Republicans have argued the legislation would infringe on the right of states to dictate their own election laws and would unduly favor the Democratic party. The latest version of the voting rights legislation would establish a federal election framework, create rules aimed at preventing partisan redistricting, and overhaul the campaign finance system.
The bill also included provisions favored by moderate Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who joined Republicans in voicing concern about previous versions of the bill. The legislation includes a Manchin-backed effort to limit voter ID requirements.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., decried the bill as a federal “election takeover scheme.”
Democrats have vowed to enact a federal voting rights overhaul regardless of Republican opposition.
Progressive Democrats have repeatedly called for the filibuster to be changed or abolished entirely in response to Republican efforts to block key elements of Biden’s legislative agenda. McConnell has warned any effort to abolish the filibuster would result in complete gridlock in the Senate.
Moderate Democrats, including Manchin and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, have resisted calls to abolish the filibuster. Biden has also spoken out against the idea in recent months.
