Washington, D.C. — Today, Senate Democrats, led by Sens. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Chuck Schumer (D-NY), reintroduced the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, a critical piece of voting rights legislation that would protect the right to vote for millions of Americans. In response, Greta Bedekovics, associate director of Democracy Policy at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
The right to vote is the very heart of our democracy. But over the past few years, Americans have seen a coordinated and pervasive effort by lawmakers and elected officials to restrict their fundamental right to vote. Not only are these efforts anti-democratic, they are also anti-American. More than ever, the country needs Congress to act to strengthen and protect the right to vote. The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act—aptly named for one of our nation’s greatest civil rights champions—would restore critical voting rights protections that courts have gutted. It would also reinstate updated pre-clearance protections that are critical to turn back the tide on efforts in states to roll back the right to vote.
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at [email protected].