Supreme Court Decision Upholding Attacks on Voting Rights Sparks Outrage, Congress Must Act

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Contact: Kiren Marshall, [email protected], 202.780.9835

WASHINGTON — Wade Henderson, interim president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement after today’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee:

“This is a shameful day for our democracy. The Court’s terrible decision upholding Arizona’s discriminatory voting laws has significantly weakened the protections laid out in Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Instead of taking a stand for an inclusive democracy, the Court ignored the very real discrimination voters of color and Native American voters face across the nation.

“Our democracy is at its best when all Americans participate, and we will not stop fighting for the freedom to vote without discrimination and fear. Congress must act to defend our right to fair and accessible elections by strengthening voter protections and restoring the full power of the Voting Rights Act. That starts with passing the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.”

Previously, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, The Leadership Conference Education Fund, and 52 other national, state, and local organizations filed a “friend of the court” brief in this case. The brief can be viewed here.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 220 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.

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