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Statement by Congressman Kweisi Mfume on H.R. 4 the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021

August 24, 2021

Today, our nation took a big step towards equality with the United States House of Representatives passing H.R. 4 – The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021. This bill, among other things, will:

  • Establish a nationwide preclearance requirement for jurisdictions that engage in certain kinds of proposed voter restrictions like stricter voter ID laws; and0
  • Re-strengthen the Voting Rights Act of 1965 following the U.S. Supreme Court Cases Shelby County v. Holder (2013) and Brnovich v. DNC (2021).

In the tradition of the great civil rights icon, the late United States Representative John R. Lewis, this bill combats the racially targeted voter laws that threaten our democratic system. An assault on our democracy is evident when state legislatures from Georgia to Texas and across our beloved land enact voter suppression laws that disenfranchise disadvantaged populations. I voted in favor of H.R. 4 because it ensures that all eligible voters across America can cast their vote in a free and fair election regardless of their race, social or economic status.

Our electoral journey is far from over, and though we may have come a long way with the help of folks like my friend John Lewis, we still have a long way to go. Let us be as steadfast as those marchers across the Edmund Pettus bridge in our vigilance for voting rights. We must urge the Senate to pass what the House has already marched through this Congress – the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021. American democracy demands that we do this.

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