Congresswoman Lee's Statement on the 49th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee released the following statement on the 49th anniversary of the signing of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965:
“Today, our country commemorates the 49th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant achievements of the Civil Rights Movement.
For nearly five decades, this law has protected the bedrock of our democracy: the right to vote.
While we celebrate this milestone, we must also remember that the voting rights of millions of Americans are at risk. Congress must act to reinvigorate the VRA to protect all Americans from discrimination, including discriminatory voter ID laws.
The Supreme Court’s ruling in Shelby County v. Holder carelessly dismissed the hard-won voting protections of the Voting Rights Act.
Discrimination at the ballot box silences the voices of Americans and prevents them from participating in our democracy. We cannot allow this discrimination to exist.
As a nation, we must honor the Civil Rights activists that sacrificed their time, blood and lives by protecting the voting rights of all.
I am proud to be a co-sponsor of the Voting Rights Amendment Act which will take strong steps to protect the voting rights of all Americans.”