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AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Democrats have holed up in Washington since Monday to prevent state Republicans from passing sweeping electoral law. It is likely that they will remain in the capital until the conclusion of the current special legislative session on August 7th.
House spokesman Dade Phelan said Thursday he would charter a plane for the Democrats on which he expects them to return to Texas. The quorum in the Texas House has been broken, and there is little legislative deal to be done while the Democrats stay away.
“To force the House of Representatives to return to Texas, I’m chartering a plane that will be ready in Washington, DC on Saturday,” Phelan wrote in a statement. “I urge all of our DC colleagues to get in touch with my co-workers immediately to secure their place on the plane and return to Austin to take care of the state. The state of Texas is waiting. “
These House Democrats responded to Phelan’s demands a short time later.
“The speaker should save his money. We won’t need a plane anytime soon as our work to save democracy from the Trump Republicans is only just beginning, ”said a statement by the Texas Democrats. “We’re not going anywhere and instead suggesting that the speaker end this farce of a session that is nothing more than a month-long commercial for the re-election of Governor Abbott. The speaker should adjourn the House Sine Die. “
About a dozen Texas Democrats met with Senator Joe Manchin, D-WV, Thursday. The moderate Democratic senator has so far refused to support an exception to the filibuster rule that requires 60 votes to advance most of the laws in the evenly-divided Senate.
The Texas Democrats have urged Congress to pass voting laws that would undo the efforts of the Texas GOP.
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