NAACP head to push senators, White House for action on voting rights
NAACP President Derrick Johnson says he plans to step up pressure on senators and the White House to take action on voting rights legislation, which would likely warrant changes to the legislative filibuster due to opposition from Republicans.
Johnson was slated to meet with a group of senators virtually last Wednesday afternoon. “My message is simply that we’ve got to act to step up to protect democracy. Particular rules should not prevent the adoption of public policy to ensure the voting rights protections for Americans,” Johnson said ahead of his meeting with senators.
Johnson is calling on the Senate to make an exception to filibuster rules like the chamber did to approve a carve out to raise the debt ceiling with a simple majority last week.
“It is critically important that they take this matter as a priority and do what is necessary in the same manner they did to increase the debt limit last week,” Johnson said. “The full faith and credit of this country is important for our economy and … protection of voting rights is important for protection of democracy.”
