Congresswoman Lee Calls on Senate To Do “Whatever It Takes” To Pass Voting Rights Legislation
Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) today released the following statement on House passage of the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act:
“In the first year of the Biden presidency, House Democrats passed the For the People Act, the most significant voting rights and democracy reform in more than half a century; the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would restore the full power of the original Voting Rights Act of 1965; and now, the Freedom to Vote Act, a new and comprehensive package of voting, redistricting and campaign finance reforms. We have proven our commitment to protecting our most basic freedoms. Now, the will of the people is in the hands of the Senate.
“There is no time left to waste. State lawmakers introduced over 440 voter suppression bills in 49 states in the 2021 legislative session alone, and at least 19 states enacted 34 laws that restrict access to the ballot, with many more on the way. Experts predict this wave of voter suppression and election sabotage will intensify in 2022.
“The right to vote should not be a partisan issue. We are witnessing the greatest attack on voting rights since the Jim Crow era; we must set an example for the world and take equally aggressive action to protect these basic freedoms. Senators must do whatever it takes to pass this legislation; end big money in politics, partisan gerrymandering, and voter suppression; and safeguard our democracy.”
###
Congresswoman Lee is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and Chair of the Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations. She serves as Co-Chair of the Steering & Policy Committee, former Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Chair Emeritus of the Progressive Caucus, Co-Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Health Task Force, and Co-Chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus. She also serves as Chair of the Majority Leader’s Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity. As a member of the House Democratic Leadership, she is the highest ranking Black woman in the U.S. Congress.