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Former first lady Michelle Obama took aim at lawmakers who are working to make it harder for people "with every right to vote to cast a ballot" in a Thursday statement she posted to Twitter.
The former first lady celebrated the House's Wednesday passage of the For the People Act, also known as H.R. 1, saying she was "thrilled."
The act, which would require states to offer mail-in ballots, a minimum of 15 days of early voting and calls for online and same-day voter registration, is now waiting for Senate approval.
Obama slammed lawmakers, without naming them specifically, for trying to prevent the bill from passing.
"Our democracy remains under attack by the partisan and unpatriotic actions of those at the state level who are doing everything they can to curtail access to the voting box," she wrote.
She added, "Make no mistake - the idea that we cannot both hold secure elections and ensure that eligible voters can make their voices heard is a false choice."
Obama called on the Senate to follow the House's suit and advance the act, saying, "Nothing is more important to our democracy than safeguarding our right to vote."
Her comments comes after no House Republicans supported the measure, which passed after a 220-210 vote, with many calling it a power grab by Democrats.
The bill was pushed by Democrats as a safeguard against future claims of voter fraud, after former President Trump and his allies promoted the ideas after the 2020 presidential election.
The Biden administration also has strongly advocated for the act's passage, calling it "landmark legislation" that is "urgently needed to protect the right to vote and the integrity of our elections."
(THE HILL)
