History will not be kind to those who stood idly by and would not defend our freedom to vote and have our votes counted. The Senate’s failure to bring the John Lewis Freedom Act to a vote is another step in the decline of American democracy.

Absent basic federal protections which preserve free and fair elections and prevent interference in our electoral system, antidemocratic extremism will continue to grow, and efforts to combat it will face an increasingly uphill battle as these extremists lock in their gains.

While there’s still time, urgent action is required to ensure the integrity of our elections remains intact, and that the right to vote and to have your voice heard is secured before the next election.