Majority Leader Schumer,
Thank you for your strong leadership and continued dedication to making progress on essential
priorities for the American people and for our democracy in the face of partisan obstruction.
We have moved past hypotheticals and entered a perilous new moment for our democracy.
Senate Republicans’ decision to block legislation establishing a bipartisan commission to
investigate the January 6th insurrection is a shameful abdication of their duties to our country.
As Senator Joe Manchin said, “So disheartening. It makes you really concerned about our
country.” That Republicans could not even support a bipartisan investigation into a deadly attack
on the U.S. Capitol reflects dangerously misplaced priorities: they have chosen party over
country, obstruction over progress, and Trump over democracy.
In the face of Republicans’ inability and unwillingness to defend our democracy, it is clearer than
ever that the filibuster needs to be eliminated. As Senator Brian Schatz stated, “filibustering a
bipartisan Commission regarding the January 6 insurrection is a three dimensional way to make
the point that the filibuster is primarily a destructive force in American politics.”
Meanwhile, we are witnessing the “greatest contraction of voting rights since the end of
Reconstruction and the beginning of Jim Crow,” as Republican legislatures across America
attack voting rights and play partisan games with their election laws.
Passing S.1, the For the People Act, is essential in light of these attacks on Americans’
fundamental voting and civil rights. Yet Senate Minority Leader McConnell has called blocking
the For the People Act his “top priority” and is committed to using the filibuster as a weapon to
keep our democracy rigged.
We cannot allow the filibuster to stand in the way of progress or imperil the health of our
democracy. As columnist E.J. Dionne noted, “No amount of cajoling, compromising, begging,
pleading or standing-on-your-head-and-holding-your-breath will change this … you can defend
voting rights or you can defend the filibuster. You can’t do both.”
Investigating an insurrection and protecting voting rights should not be controversial or partisan
– and they should not be issues that a minority of senators are allowed to block.
We call on you and the Senate Democratic caucus to eliminate the filibuster as a weapon that
Sen. McConnell can use to block efforts to defend and strengthen our democracy and make our
government work for the American people.
Signed,
Fix Our Senate
Battle Born Collective
Common Cause
Equal Citizens
Indivisible
Stand Up America
20/20 Vision DC
350 Eugene
Alliance for Justice
Alliance for Youth Action
Bend the Arc: Jewish Action
Black Voters Matter Fund
Blue Future
Blue Wave Postcard Movement
Brady
Brave New Films
Broward for Progress
Businesses for a Livable Climate
CA Businesses for a Livable Climate
Call to Action Colorado
Campaign for America’s Future
CASE Action
CatholicNetwork US
CBFD Indivisible San Diego
Citizens for Constitutional Integrity
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)
Clean Elections Texas
Climate Crisis Policy
Climate Hawks Vote
CO Businesses for a Livable Climate
Communications Workers of America (CWA)
Declaration for American Democracy
Demand Justice
DemCast USA
Democracy 21
Democracy for America
Democracy Matters
Democratic Progressive Caucus of Florida
DFA Palm Beach County
Dutchess County Progressive Action Alliance
Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC)
Equal Justice Society
Equality California
Evergreen Action
Fair Elections for New York
Faith for Black Lives
Faith in Public Life Action
Feminist Majority
Fix Democracy First
Friends of the Earth
Future Coalition
Herd on the Hill
I-70/Vasquez Blvd. Superfund CAG
Indivisible Detroit Coalition
Indivisible East Bay
Indivisible Marin
Indivisible Northern Nevada
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement
Main Street Alliance
Mainers for Accountable Leadership
March for Our Lives
Michiganders for Fair & Transparent Elections
Mid-Ohio Valley Climate Action
MomsRising
Montbello Neighborhood Improvement Association
MoveOn
National Association of Social Workers
National Council of Jewish Women
National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
National Voter Corps
NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice
Newtown Action Alliance
NoRA
North Range Concerned Citizens
Northridge Indivisible
One Fair Wage
Our Revolution
OVEC-Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition
People’s Action
Poder Latinx
Pride at Work
Progressive Change Campaign Committee
Progressive Democrats of America
Progressives for Democracy in America Cent FL
RapidShift Network
RepresentUs New Mexico
Rise Up WV
Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
Small Business Alliance
Social Security Works
Spirit of the Sun
Statewide Indivisible Michigan
Students Against Voter Suppression
Sunrise Movement
Supermajority
SURJ Marin – Showing Up for Racial Justice
Take Back the Court
The Earth Bill Network
The Green House Connection Center
The National Vote
The Sierra Club
UltraViolet
UNITE HERE Local 11
Unite North Metro Denver
Unite North Metro Denver
Upper West Side MoveOn/Indivisible Action Group
URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity
Venice Resistance
Voices for Progress
Vote Save America
Voto Latino
Wall of Women
We Testify
Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice
Women of Michigan Action Network
Women’s March
Zero Hour
