The 1965 Voting Rights Act: 48th Anniversary

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2. Yes! There is!

On the 48th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, Congress Must Act Quickly to Protect Democracy
Posted: 08/02/2013 10:44 am

The good news: Strong action from Congress can repair the Court's mistake. In July, a month after the Court's ruling in Shelby v. Holder, both the Senate and House of Representatives held hearings to discuss solutions and the path forward to protect our democracy. Representative Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI), who led the VRA's reauthorization efforts in 1982 and 2006, reaffirmed his commitment to the Voting Rights Act, calling for free, fair and accessible elections for all Americans. Representative John Lewis (D-GA), who worked beside Dr. Martin Luther King in the fight for the passage of the VRA and later with Representative Sensenbrenner on its reauthorization in 2006, expressed the legislation's continued vital importance to our democracy.

We join them in calling on Congress to protect our democracy and restore the effectiveness of the Voting Rights Act.

With a wide range of lawmakers and advocates developing concrete policy proposals, the congressional hearings were an important first step at this point. Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle and in both chambers agree that we must create solutions to protect voters and prevent voter discrimination - and that they recognize that the Voting Rights Act is one of the most effective tools to do so. In another promising move, the U.S. Justice Department in July vowed to use the remaining tools under the VRA to prevent discrimination in voting. "We cannot allow the slow unraveling of the progress that so many, throughout history, have sacrificed so much to achieve," said Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.



Attorney General Holder is right that the stakes are high: Until Congress repairs the Voting Rights Act, voters will likely face a variety of voting suppression attacks within their state, local and county jurisdictions as new election laws are passed. And while advocates like the League of Women Voters will continue to pursue all avenues to protect the rights of voters, strong congressional action on the VRA is truly needed to restore our ability to effectively challenge discrimination in elections before it goes into effect.

As states and municipalities continue to move forward with discriminatory voting measures, Congress must act swiftly to protect voters. On the 48th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, we ask you to join us in calling on Congress to protect our democracy and restore and repair the VRA to its full strength. It is time to close the floodgates on voter suppression efforts.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elisabeth-macnamara/on-the-48th-anniversary-o_b_3695682.html

Thanks freshwest!