Civil Rights Coalition Lauds Historic Bipartisan, Bicameral Support for Voting Rights

As Democratic and Republican leadership from the House and the Senate came together to announce unprecedented support for legislation to renew key expiring protections in the Voting Rights Act, Wade Henderson, executive director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights made the following statement:

“Today’s historic, bicameral, bipartisan support for a bill to renew the Voting Rights Act highlights the importance of one of the most effective laws in U.S. history – one that helped the nation live up to its highest principles of freedom, justice, liberty and equality for all. We’re proud that our nation’s legislators understand and support a bill that not only guarantees minorities the right to vote, but has enhanced opportunities for minorities to win elective office.

Despite significant progress made during the last four decades in the registration of, and voting by, minorities, as well as efforts to increase the ability of language minority citizens to engage in the democratic process, there is no question that barriers to full and equal minority voter participation remain. During this time, a second generation of discrimination has emerged, perhaps more insidious than it was a half century ago.

Inscribed on the National Archives building here in Washington is a quote: ‘The Past is Prologue.’ These provisions will keep us from repeating the mistakes of the past.”