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Congressional Black Caucus Reflects on Voting Rights Act
“August 6, 2020, we
celebrate the 55-year anniversary of the passage of the
Voting Rights Act of 1965. But 55 years later, our nation is
still struggling to ensure voting rights for all Americans.
This 1965 law was an historic win for African Americans, but
we continue to face ongoing voter suppression efforts, from
modern-day poll taxes for formerly incarcerated individuals
and needless ID requirements, to closed polling locations
and ballot shortages in Black communities, to disinformation
campaigns on social media and foreign interference in our
elections invited by the highest office in our land.
“The disastrous 2013 Supreme
Court decision in Shelby v. Holder gutted Section 5 of the
VRA and our ability to combat voter suppression and
intimidation. The decision unleashed a partisan voter
suppression campaign across America that is silencing the
Black vote. With a critical election in November, it is
imperative that we restore the heart of the VRA by enacting
H.R. 4, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act of 2020 (formerly
known as the Voting Rights Advancement Act).
“Knowing all that is at
stake, the Congressional Black Caucus continues the call for
both vote-by-mail and safe in-person voting options. The CBC
fought to secure $25 billion in emergency appropriations in
the HEROES Act to support the United States Postal Service
and ensure its more than 600,000 employees have the
equipment they need to do their job safely. This emergency
funding is crucial to ensure Americans nationwide can
fulfill their democratic duties to be counted in the 2020
Census and vote in upcoming primary and general elections.
The HEROES Act was passed on May 15, 2020, but almost three
months later, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has
refused to take up this critical piece of legislation.
“The right to vote is
fundamental to our democracy. Yet from the founding of our
nation, we have struggled to extend the franchise to all. We
have come a long way because of the advancements of civil
rights leaders and thoughtful legislators like the late
Congressman John Lewis. But progress must be won each day
and the Congressional Black Caucus will continue his fight
to extend the franchise to all Americans.
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