Biden, Schumer respond to major setback after filibuster vote fails in Senate
Biden says he was 'profoundly disappointed' that the Senate 'failed to stand up for our democracy'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}President Biden and Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader, took to Twitter late Wednesday to express their disappointment after the Senate failed to pass two major election bills—which was all but certain.
Biden said he was "profoundly disappointed" that the Senate "failed to stand up for our democracy." But he also assured followers that he is "not deterred."
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer speaks to members of the press after a Senate Democratic Caucus meeting on January 18, 2022 in Washington. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
SINEMA AND MANCHIN SPURN SCHUMER, VOTE AGAINST NUKING FILIBUSTER
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Schumer struck a similar tone. He insisted that inaction "in not an option on voting rights," and he laid out the game plan going forward.
"We’re going to vote on changing Senate rules for these bills. The Senate must choose in favor of our democracy. The Senate must stand up and defend voting rights," the New York Democrat tweeted.
The vote was all but dead on arrival after Democrat Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema refused to join their own party in changing Senate rules to overcome a Republican filibuster.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Manchin and Sinema joined all Senate Republicans in opposing the attempt to alter the Senate filibuster on party lines, resulting in a 48-52 final tally. That vote followed a failed attempt by Democrats to advance the election bills over the Senate's 60-vote filibuster threshold. All Republicans opposed it.
"Tonight, I voted again to support legislation safeguarding and expanding Americans' access to the ballot box and strengthening faith in our elections," Sinema said in a statement. "I also maintained my longstanding opposition to separate actions that would deepen our divisions and risk repeated radical reversals in federal policy, cementing uncertainty and further eroding confidence in our government."
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema walks to her office in the basement of the U.S. Capitol Building on January 19, 2022 in Washington. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Senate minority leader, also tweeted that the Democrats who voted with Schumer supported shattering "the soul of the Senate for short-term power."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Fortunately, a bipartisan majority saved the Senate and ensured that millions and millions of Americans’ voices will not be silenced," he posted.
A reporter for ABC News said she caught up with Sinema shortly after the vote and asked her what she thought the next steps will be for voting rights.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Sinema reportedly responded, "Have a nice night."
Fox News' Tyler Olson and the Associated Press contributed to this report