Senators Durbin and Duckworth Back Bill to Block Executive Order on Mail Voting

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth of Illinois joined other Senate Democrats in introducing the Absentee and Mail Voter Protection Act, a bill that would block a March 31 executive order affecting mail and absentee voting and restrict federal agencies from carrying out similar actions. Lawmakers said the measure would nullify the order, prevent the use of federal funds to implement it, and bar agencies including the Postal Service and Department of Homeland Security from enforcing changes tied to federal eligibility lists for mail ballots. The bill also seeks to stop the creation or use of national voter databases for election purposes, limit efforts to compel states to turn over voter registration data, and restrict federal sharing of voter information under privacy laws. Supporters said the proposal is intended to protect access to absentee and mail voting, which is used by millions of Americans, including military members and overseas voters, and has been widely used in recent elections. The legislation includes a broad group of Senate Democratic co-sponsors and is backed by labor and postal worker representatives who say mail voting remains secure and widely relied upon.