Senate Republicans blocked the sweeping voter protection bill, the For the People Act, from advancing Tuesday, in a major but expected blow to Democrats and to voting rights. The move comes amid a crackdown on voting rights in Republican-led states and as calls mount to abolish the filibuster so Democrats can circumvent Republican stonewalling. Vice President Kamala Harris spoke after the vote.

Vice President Kamala Harris: “This is about the American people’s right to vote, unfettered. It is about their access to the right to vote in a meaningful way, because nobody is debating, I don’t believe, whether all Americans have the right to vote. The issue here is: Is there actual access to the voting process, or is that being impeded?”

President Biden and Democrats have vowed to keep fighting to protect voting rights at the federal level.