Congressman Kweisi Mfume’s Statement on the Passage of the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act
WASHINGTON – Congressman Kweisi Mfume (MD-07) issued the following statement on the House passage of voting rights legislation, the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act, today:
"The Voting Rights Act of 1965 targeted racist, Jim Crow era voter suppression laws and put our country on a path towards election fairness. A 2013 Supreme Court decision weakened the Voting Rights Act and allowed years later supporters of Donald Trump along with emboldened state legislatures to reinstate legalized voter suppression.
As we begin celebrating the 92nd birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., it is essential that our nation recommit itself to an unfettered right to vote. We did our part in the U.S. House. The U.S. Senate must do its part!
Yesterday, I spoke alongside my colleagues in the House of Representatives to urge the United States Senate to pass both the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. This legislation would ensure that all Americans are guaranteed equal and fair access to voting. Over 400 bills to limit voter access have been introduced this year in 49 states making it harder to cast a ballot.
The weight of this moment in history does not escape me, and it is time to finish this fight. Today, these voting rights bills have passed the House again. This vitally important legislation must pass the United States Senate immediately; our right to vote freely and fairly depends on it," said Congressman Kweisi Mfume.
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