What Kind of History Should We Make?

Floor Speech

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Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today on this Restoration Tuesday, I rise to acknowledge the continued voter suppression around the country during this election year and the ongoing battle for protection of the constitutional right to vote. This Restoration Tuesday is particularly special, as it is the last primary vote. At the closing of the polls, we will officially be embarking on the first general election in 50 years without the full protection of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Countless Americans gathered together in the years up to the passing of the historic legislation that banned discrimination in voting polls, and solidified voting equality. Backpedaling into times of racial disparity in the voting process is a dangerous course of action that we should refrain from venturing into. We are currently defacing the legacy of those who gave up their lives in order to secure equal representation in the voting booth. It is imperative that we rally together and Restore The Vote. We cannot allow this presidential election to greet us without being protected against those who wish to slant the election through harsh voting laws. It is the right of every eligible American to cast a ballot in the favor of their interests without hurdles being placed in their path. Through the passage of the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015, we will be able to complete the order handed down to us by the Supreme Court of the United States. We will be able to recreate the safe haven in voting, where everyone feels entitled and able to exercise their democratic right. I ask my colleagues to join me in support of the Voting Rights Advancement of 2015 so that we can make the democratic process democratic again.

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