Restoration Tuesday: A Demand For Democracy

Floor Speech

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Mr. Speaker, today on this Restoration Tuesday I rise to acknowledge the persistent need for new voting rights legislation, even after the 2016 general election. Last week's presidential election was the first in over fifty years without the full protection of the Voting Rights Act of 1965--and it must be the last. The time to restore the fundamental civil right to vote for millions of Americans is always right now. This is not a request for reconciliation, this a deliberate demand for democracy.

Just one week ago today, American citizens faced voting restrictions in the forms of new photo ID requirements, DMV and voting poll closures, and significant reductions or elimination of early voting and weekend voting. Voting restrictions have been put in place in 22 states--14 of which had new restrictions for the first time in 2016, making it harder for millions of Americans to exercise their right to vote. This was unacceptable at the inception of the Constitution. This was unacceptable during the marches of 1965. How can we, as representatives of the American people, accept this blatant disregard to our democracy today? We need to make voting easier, not harder for the citizens of this country. We cannot and must not accept suppression of the vote.

According to a federal court, the State of Wisconsin had over 300,000 registered voters who lacked the ID required by new photo ID laws. In my home state of Alabama, new photo IDs were required and then over 30 DMVs were systematically closed down following the announcement of the new laws. On this past Election Day one week ago, there were 868 fewer polling places in states with a history of voter discrimination like Arizona, North Carolina and Texas. The 2016 election may be over, but the fight for voting rights is far from finished. It is time to stop restricting access to the ballot box. It is time to show our country that we, as representatives of the American people, are using every tool at our disposal to prevent discriminatory voting practices. There is nothing more important in a democracy than ensuring that every citizen has an equal opportunity to let their voice be heard through their right to vote.

I urge my fellow Members of Congress to support a bipartisan effort to Restore the Vote. The Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015 that I introduced reaffirms our commitment to voter equality and creating protected pathways to voter access. This legislation takes an expansive view of the need to protect access to the voting booth, and will offer more voter protection to more people in states including Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas. I urge all of my colleagues seated here today to pass legislation that will not just protect the votes of minorities, but also those of students, the disabled, the poor, and those in the military and overseas. We cannot forget the courage and dedication of those who marched and
fought for voting rights in 1965. Let's not forget the lessons learned in 1965 and in the fifty years since as we have watched countless attempts to undermine our progress. As Civil Rights icon, Congressman, and my friend John Lewis will tell you, ``There is still work to be done.'' Let's recommit ourselves to restoring the promise of voter equality. Partisanship cannot be prioritized over the people of America. Voter suppression has to stop now.

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