Grassley: Diversity Among Our States is a Strength not a Weakness
Prepared Floor
Remarks by U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa
Diversity Among
Our States is a Strength not a Weakness
Tuesday, July 20,
2021
According to the nonpartisan Congressional Research
Service, “filibustering includes any use of dilatory or obstructive tactics to
block a measure by preventing it from coming to a vote.”
This is exactly what the Texas Democrats are doing by
fleeing the state to avoid a majority vote on an election reform bill.
They flew to Washington, D.C. where they are hypocritically
demanding that the Senate abolish its tradition of extended debate so national legislation
can be passed on the slimmest of majorities.
And you can’t get any slimmer than 50-50.
The Senate majority leader called them brave and
courageous for their dishonest filibuster in the Texas legislature, while they
denounce the filibuster at the national level.
Texas is a large and diverse state, but the United States
is made up of 50 very different states, plus territories, spread over a great
distance.
If the majority ought not be allowed to rule in Texas,
then how can they justify breaking the rules and tradition of the Senate to
impose the will of 50 percent of the country on the other 50 percent?
Let’s be clear, as I have said before, the false,
evidence-free claims of widespread voter suppression are as damaging as false
claims of widespread voter fraud, and need to stop.
The reality is that each state is different so it makes
sense that states will have different voting processes.
Discrimination in voting is illegal. It’s a federal
crime, and thank God. Beyond that, diversity is a strength not a weakness.
