Schiff: 'Top priority' if elected to Senate is to 'overcome the filibuster'

31 July 2023

United States Representative Adam Schiff (D-California) told MSNBC host Reverend Al Sharpton on Sunday that reforming the Senate filibuster is at the top of his to-do list if he is elected as Senator Dianne Feinstein's (D-California) successor in 2024.

First, Sharpton noted, "Now we have a lot of Black viewers on our show," asking Schiff, "What would be your top priority if elected to the Senate when it comes to helping Black Americans dealing with criminal justice, voter protection, and in California, also around the country?"

Amending the filibuster process, Schiff said, is critical to overcoming efforts to limit access to the ballot box.

"Well, my first priority, and I think the first urgent priority for the country is passing voting rights, because if the foundation isn't strong, then the whole edifice of our democracy can come down," Schiff opined. "And for years now, the Republicans have made a concerted effort to put obstacles in the way of people's ability to exercise their franchise. And particularly Reverend, as you know, put obstacles in the way of communities of color by closing down polling stations in urban areas by stringent voter ID laws meant to disenfranchise, particularly people of color, and many, many more laws at the state level and some at the federal level in order to deprive people of their rights."

Schiff continued, "So my first and urgent priority is to overcome the filibuster, pass voting rights. But we also, as you say, we need criminal justice reform. That has to be an urgent priority too, and there need to be, you know, overlapping areas as well where we make sure that people that have served their time have the opportunity to exercise their franchise and have their rights restored to them. So these are some urgent priorities that I would make mine as a new US Senator."

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