In a press briefing on Thursday, February 29, Senate leaders, alongside civil rights advocates, introduced the reintroduction of S.4, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Development Act, aimed toward safeguarding voting rights and fortifying the nation’s democratic foundations.
Based on U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), the Senate Judiciary Committee will maintain a listening to on March 12 to debate the rising threats to voting rights and the necessity for federal voting safeguards.
Leaders mentioned because the nation displays on the sacrifices of civil rights champions just like the late Rep. John Lewis, the decision resounds for each member of Congress to endorse pivotal democracy payments, together with the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Development Act, the Freedom to Vote Act, and the Native American Voting Rights Act.
“This yr’s presidential election would be the first since Republican-led state legislatures handed a wave of restrictive voting legal guidelines,” Durbin remarked. “As members of Congress, we’ve an obligation to defend our democracy towards these assaults on our basic proper to vote.”
Majority Chief Chuck Schumer of New York emphasised what he known as the very important function of a strong democratic basis. “To make actual progress on the problems we care about, the inspiration of democracy should be robust,” Schumer said. “The exhausting proper is attempting to chop these efforts off on the knees, making it more durable for individuals to take part in democracy and be represented.”
Georgia Senator, the Rev. Raphael Warnock, underscored the laws’s significance in preserving democracy. “Let’s shield the sacred proper. We’ve obtained to get this finished within the spirit and within the identify of John Lewis and since our democracy itself is at stake,” Warnock demanded.
Maya Wiley, President, and CEO of The Management Convention emphasised the non-partisan nature of the trigger. “This isn’t about partisanship; that is about individuals having energy. That’s the reason we’d like the John Lewis Voting Rights Development Act,” Wiley mentioned.
Others from varied civil rights organizations additionally weighed in, with John C. Yang of Asian People Advancing Justice-AAJC urging Congress to help the change, and Damon Hewitt of the Attorneys’ Committee for Civil Rights Beneath Regulation stressing the necessity for a democracy that works for everybody.
“Voters are demanding higher from their representatives, and the John Lewis Voting Rights Development Act should be the response,” added Deirdre Schifeling, Chief Political and Advocacy Officer of ACLU.
