“Half of us on this side of the aisle just spent four years, four years, when we were in the majority and we had a president of our party asking us to do what they’re trying to do tonight. And we had a one word answer: No — no, we’re not going to fracture the institution to achieve some short-term advantage.” “A few hours ago, this chamber with the eyes of the nation upon it and with the evidence of voter suppression laid bare before it, with very little refutation from the other side — they don’t discuss the issues going on in the states — took a vote to move to final passage on the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. It received 50 votes. And with the vice president, we would have had a majority. Unfortunately, under the current rules of the Senate, the door is closed to moving forward on these laws.” “On this vote, the yeas are 52, the nays are 48. The decision of the chair stands as the judgment of the Senate.”