For Immediate Release: August 11, 2021
Contact: Colleen Ross | [email protected] | 202-601-7877
Catholic Lobby Reiterates Call to Remove the Filibuster as Obstacle to Democracy
Sr. Quincy Howard: “Democracy advocates across the country, including thousands of Catholic Sisters, will not be deterred”
WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate Republicans again blocked a public floor debate on an updated version of the For the People Act, the second time since June. Senate Republicans also obstructed debate on two other bills to end partisan gerrymandering and dark money in politics.
NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice has been a staunch advocate for S.1, and again calls on the Senate to overcome the filibuster and pass the For the People Act as a first priority in September. With the Congressional redistricting process beginning later this month, time is of the essence to ensure our maps are truly representative for the next decade.
Sister Quincy Howard, OP, NETWORK Government Relations Specialist, said:
“Again, Republicans in the Senate demonstrated that they are not interested in even debating necessary reforms to strengthen our democratic systems and protect our freedom to vote. At a time when international civil liberty watchdog groups and democracy scholars are sounding alarms about the real and present dangers to our democratic institutions, Senator McConnell and Republican Senators prove their complicity with Republican-led state legislatures actively denying our freedom to vote.
“Despite today’s filibuster, democracy advocates across the country, including thousands of Catholic Sisters, will not be deterred from their goal of passing S.1, the For the People Act. The world is watching; the Senate must to act to affirm the sacred right to vote today and for future generations.”
Executive Director of NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, Mary J. Novak, said:
“I appreciate Leader Schumer holding a vote on S.1 before recess, but this symbolic vote fails to remove the deliberate barriers to the ballot targeting Black, Brown, and Native American voters. NETWORK members and activists will continue calling on Senators to take bold action to do what is necessary to pass S.1. The Senate must find a way to bypass the racist filibuster and pass S.1 as quickly as possible; our democracy can’t wait.”
Since July, hundreds of NETWORK advocates have rallied for the passage of S.1, hosting public Team Democracy events in Indianapolis, Cleveland, New York, and other cities across the country. In July, nearly 3,700 Catholic Sisters sent a letter to President Biden and Senator Schumer urging them to support bypassing the filibuster to pass the For the People Act. Last week, Catholic Sisters delivered the letter and a message to Senators Joe Manchin, Kyrsten Sinema, and Mark Kelly. The Sisters called on Senators Manchin, Sinema, and Kelly to take a courageous moral stand and commit to passing S.1.
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NETWORK – advocates for justice inspired by Catholic sisters – educates, organizes, and lobbies for economic and social transformation. They have a 45-year track record of lobbying for critical federal programs that support those at the margins and prioritize the common good. www.networklobby.org
Sister Quincy Howard and Mary J. Novak are available for interviews. For inquiries, contact Colleen Ross [email protected] or 202-601-7877.