Texas senator ends 15-hour filibuster, voting bill passes [View all]
Source: Associated Press
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Texas state senator ended a 15-hour filibuster Thursday morning in the Democrats’ latest defiance over a sweeping GOP voting measure, which then passed just minutes after she wearily left the floor.
Democrat Carol Alvarado began speaking shortly before 6 p.m. Wednesday even though she acknowledged that the filibuster would not block the legislation. She was required to remain standing and speaking, was prohibited from taking bathroom breaks and wore running shoes on the Senate floor, just as former Texas legislator Wendy Davis did in 2013 when she filibustered a sweeping anti-abortion bill.
“What’s wrong with drive-thru voting during a pandemic? What’s wrong with 24-hour voting? Why can’t we have expanded voting hours for the people who have to work late? Where is all the so-called fraud?” Alvarado said in the closing moments of her filibuster. “Where does it end?
She hugged her Democratic colleagues after finally putting down the microphone. Minutes later, the bill passed 18-11 in the Senate, although the measure is now once again stalled since Democrats continue to stay away from the state House of Representatives in a standoff that has now entered a 32nd day.
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By PAUL J. WEBER and ACACIA CORONADO
50 minutes ago
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-texas-voting-voting-rights-filibusters-dd028dc0dcf06e9e38c64dd51109b43f
Texas State Sen. Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, wears running shoes as she filibusters Senate Bill 1, a voting bill, at the Texas Capitol Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
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