Senate Republicans again block key voting rights bill

• John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act blocked in Senate
• Bill's failure likely to increase calls to end contentious filibuster

Republicans in the US Senate again blocked a significant voting rights bill from advancing on Wednesday, a move many see as a breaking point in the push to get rid of the filibuster, the Senate rule that requires 60 votes to advance most legislation.

The bill - the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act - is one of two major pieces of voting rights legislation Democrats are championing in Congress in an effort to fend off attempts across the US by Republicans to erode easy access to the vote. Those efforts often most affect communities of color.