Leadership Conference Releases Voting Record Detailing 109th Congress’ Civil Rights Record

As Americans prepare to go to the polls for the midterm elections, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR), the nation’s oldest and largest civil and human rights coalition, is releasing its annual Voting Record, which tracks votes on key civil rights legislation for the 109th Congress. The report, including detailed vote tables, is available online at https://civilrights.org/research_center/voting_scorecards/109_2.pdf .

“This important document can help educate the electorate,” said LCCR president and CEO Wade Henderson. “Civil rights benefit all Americans and they should know where their member stands on issues important to them and their families.”

LCCR’s Voting Record scored members of Congress on their support for, or opposition to, bills containing important civil rights protections, hate crimes and immigration legislation, and judges hostile to civil rights, among other issues.

“Our report documents a 20-year decline in support for civil rights,” said LCCR vice president Nancy Zirkin. “The one shining moment of this year’s Congress was the bipartisan renewal of the Voting Rights Act. We hope its passage brings a new civility and a renewed commitment to our civil rights.”

LCCR’s analysis concludes, “Just over 20 years ago – in the 97th Congress – 220 representatives, and 52 senators voted in support of civil rights issues at least 80 percent of the time. Today, LCCR can count on only 181 representatives and 36 senators to support its priorities on 80 percent or more of the votes in the LCCR Voting Record, while 135 representatives and 49 senators support LCCR priorities less than 20 percent of the time.”

LCCR’s sister organization, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund (LCCREF), recently released the Civil Rights Monitor, which reviews the state of play for civil rights issue across all three branches of government. The Monitor also provides a historical context within which to access current civil rights issues. It is available online at https://civilrights.org/publications/monitor/ .

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The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights is the nation’s oldest, largest, and most diverse civil and human rights coalition. For more information on LCCR and its work visit civilrights.org.