Oliver Contreras/CNP/Zuma
Responding to a question at a press conference on Thursday, President Joe Biden described restrictive voting laws, such as those being pushed by Georgia Republicans to undermine Democratic control of the House and Senate in 2022, as “sick.”
“What I’m worried about is how un-American this whole initiative is,” he said. “Deciding in some states that you cannot bring water to people standing in line waiting to vote. Deciding that you’re gonna end voting at five o’clock when working people are just getting off work. Deciding that there will be no absentee ballots under the most rigid circumstances.”
Biden said he would work to get the For the People Act—the major voting rights legislation passed by the House earlier this month—approved by the Senate. But without the removal of the legislative filibuster, it’s highly unlikely the bill will garner the 10 Republican votes it needs to pass.
Still, Biden pointed out that a majority of voters, including Republicans, support the legislation, which would enact nationwide automatic and Election Day voter registration, restrict voter-ID laws, and crack down on dark money in politics, among other reforms. “I’m convinced that we’ll be able to stop this,” he said, “because it is the most pernicious thing.”
Watch the video below:
Q: Are you worried that if you don't manage to pass voting rights legislation that your party is going to possibly lose control in the House and Senate in 2022?@JoeBiden: "What I’m worried about is how un-American this whole [voter suppression] initiative is. It’s sick." pic.twitter.com/MCOAbrAR7H
— Mother Jones (@MotherJones) March 25, 2021
