Congress Must Pass Critical Voting Rights Advancement Act
February 26, 2019
For Immediate Release
Contact: Kristen Voorhees, [email protected], 202.548.7166
WASHINGTON –Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement on the bicameral introduction of the Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA):
“Our voice is heard through our fundamental right to vote. When policymakers erect barriers to the ballot box and silence that voice, our government fails us. The Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA) would restore the Voting Rights Act and ensure all eligible voters can make their voice heard free from racial discrimination.
“Attacks on the voting rights of people of color have long plagued our country. Five justices on the Supreme Court gutted the protections of the Voting Rights Act in the disastrous 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision. Since then, politicians interested in shrinking the electorate for personal, partisan gain have pursued strict photo ID laws, unlawful voter purges, voter registration restrictions, polling place closures, and other obstacles to silence communities of color. Congress must thoroughly examine the continuing problem of racial discrimination in our election system and then pass the VRAA to build a 21st century democracy that works for everyone.”
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.