Voting Rights
In the 117th Congress, Democrats passed H.R. 1, the For The People Act, which would promote government transparency, strengthen access to the ballot box, secure election infrastructure, and curb the influence of dark money in politics. The House also passed H.R. 4, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021, which would reauthorize key portions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that were struck down in the Supreme Court’s flawed Shelby County v. Holder and Brnovich v. DNC decisions. In addition, the House passed H.R. 5746, the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act, which would set basic nationwide standards for how elections are conducted and take action to end partisan gerrymandering. Senate Republicans shamefully continue to obstruct these vital pieces of civil rights legislation and attack our democracy.
Democrats will continue to protect our democracy, advance the cause of voting rights, and expand access to the ballot box. We will fight to ensure that misleading information does not deter Americans from participating in our democracy and having confidence in the results of our free and fair elections.
A day after we commemorated the 50th anniversary of the historic March on Washington, we wanted to make sure you saw this USA Today editorial about the importance of protecting Americans’ fundamental right to vote. Read the full editorial below or by clicking here:
Every eligible voter in this country deserves the chance to cast a ballot and have that vote counted accurately.
“Forty-eight years ago today, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law, ending discriminatory practices that had prevented millions of Americans from participating fully in our democracy. Regardless of one’s race, color, or creed, every American is equally entitled to cast a ballot and have that vote counted accurately...
MESSAGE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC WHIP
Today, I introduced legislation that would call for Congress and President Obama to fill the vacancies on the Election Assistance Commission, a bipartisan board that provides advice and counsel to states on best practices to carry out their elections and critical assistance to local election officials.
House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) today introduced a resolution calling for Congress and President Obama to fill the vacancies on the Election Assistance Commission, a bipartisan board that provides advice and counsel to states on best practices to carry out their elections and critical assistance to local election officials.
“In the wake of the Supreme Court’s disappointing ruling on Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act, I am encouraged that the Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing to explore what steps the Congress can take to write a new preclearance formula to protect against discrimination and disenfranchisement.
“Thank you, and I’m so honored to be here to participate in the NAACP’s 104th Annual National Convention. The theme of this year’s convention is ‘we shall not be moved.’
“On behalf of Leader Pelosi, Assistant Leader Clyburn, and myself, I am honored to join in celebrating 104 years of NAACP’s leadership in moving our country closer to its founding principles – that all of us are created equal and endowed by our creator with the right to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.
MESSAGE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC WHIP
This week, the United States Senate passed comprehensive immigration reform that takes an important step towards fixing our nation’s broken immigration system. I applaud the Senate for their bipartisan legislation, which creates a reasonable pathway to citizenship for 11 million people already in our country, while also ensuring the security of our borders. It is now time for the House to take action, and I will co
While we’re still celebrating yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling on DOMA and Prop 8, we’re still disappointed by the Court’s ruling against the Voting Rights Act on Tuesday. Already, criticism of that decision is coming in from all corners of the country. Take a look at some of the latest headlines: