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2 Houston-area lawmakers arrested during voting rights protest in Washington, D.C.

Last week, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee was arrested during a demonstration for the same reason.

WASHINGTON — Texas Rep. Ron Reynolds and U.S. Rep. Al Green were arrested Tuesday while protesting in Washington, D.C.

They were protesting at the U.S. Capitol alongside Luci Baines Johnson (daughter of former President Lyndon B. Johnson), Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton and Texas pastors Bishop James Dixon and Dr. Freddie Haynes. 

Last week, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee was arrested during a demonstration for the same reason.

RELATED: Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee arrested by US Capitol Police during demonstration on voting rights

Reynolds and Green were advocating for the U.S. Senate to pass federal voting rights legislation in order to block current voting legislation in Texas.

"I stand on the shoulders of giants who came before me that made tremendous sacrifices to end Jim Crow laws that disenfranchised Blacks and Hispanics from voting. We are dealing with the fierce urgency of now, and I will not stop fighting until Congress passes HR1 For the People Act and HR4 John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act," Reynolds said.

Texas Democrats are still in the nation's capital in order to avoid passing new voting legislation in Texas. They left last month and plan on staying until the special session ends on Aug 7. Gov. Greg Abbott has said he plans to call as many special sessions as necessary to address several bills, not just voting legislation.

There are currently 93 House members at the state capitol in Austin, seven shy of making quorum.

While in D.C, at least six Democrats have tested positive for COVID-19.

In Austin, not a lot of work is getting done due to the Democrats' absence. House Republicans and the few Democrats left in Austin show up to the House Chambers every morning for the special session.

Jackson Lee, who shared a video of her arrest on social media, was participating in a pro-voting rights demonstration outside a Senate office building.

“I felt the minimal I could do is have my liberty denied for a period of time and I was willing to get arrested,” she said.

It came on the same day as Texas Democrats who left the state in order to stall a Republican voting security bill got a Congressional hearing, which included remote testimony from Harris County voters.

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