Senate fails to advance sweeping voting rights bill aimed at expanding early voting, registration Savannah Behrmann, Courtney Subramanian and Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY Senate blocks voting rights bill aimed at expanding early voting after heated debate Replay Video UP NEXT WASHINGTON – The Senate failed to advance a sweeping voting rights bill Tuesday, stalling the Democratic legislation aimed at countering recent restrictive state measures pursued in Republican-led states. The Senate was unable to move the For the People Act to the floor for a debate. In a vote of 50-50, it fell short of the 60 needed to overcome a GOP filibuster. All Democratic senators voted to begin debate, while the Republicans unanimously voted to block it.