Voting Rights Under Attack

Floor Speech

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Mrs. BEATTY. Madam Speaker, I thank Congressman Torres for yielding.

Madam Speaker, it is indeed my honor to stand in this Chamber tonight to speak up, to speak out about voting rights, voter suppression, fighting back, disenfranchised, section 4, section 5, section 2, all of which you will hear about tonight.

We are here as members of the Congressional Black Caucus because we want to make sure that all of our colleagues hear our story, a story that they, too, should know so well, the story of a lady by the name of Fannie Lou Hamer, a civil rights activist from Mississippi who didn't even know that she could have had the right to vote.

Recently, her granddaughter told that story. As I read that and thought about how she dedicated her life to voting rights, fast- forward, think about our beloved friend, colleague, mentor, the late Congressman John Lewis, who stood on this floor at this microphone and told us his story, told us about that day when he was crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge, what it felt like--dogs, hose, police officers, knocked down, and could have died.

But the story ends with a good message because he would have done it all over again. He told us, if you see something, say something. He reminded us that it is our role to get in good trouble.

So tonight, we want our colleagues, especially those on the other side of the aisle, to know that this is one of our top priorities. We want them to know that four times Republican Presidents reauthorized the Voting Rights Act. We want our colleagues in the Senate to know this should not be something that we are fighting over. This is something that we should be honoring and celebrating.

As we gather here in this sacred Chamber, on the floor of the people's House, to discuss voting rights in America, to amplify Our Power, Our Message, we boldly announce that we are not going to let the clock be turned back.

Let me end by saying on behalf of the members of the Congressional Black Caucus that this is something that we are asking all of our colleagues to join in and help us make sure that we can proudly say that we are reauthorizing the Voting Rights Act.

Madam Speaker, I close by saying the CBC will do everything in our power to defend the right to vote. We are prepared to work overtime. We are prepared to go what I like to call old school: stand up and make some noise, march, protest, and, yes, even get arrested.

I remember that day clearly, fighting, marching, protesting. I thought of Fannie Lou Hamer. I thought of John Lewis and so many other soldiers, pioneers. I stand on their shoulders.

Tonight, I ask us, let's stand together.

Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure, as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus to recognize the gentlewoman from Alabama (Ms. Sewell), my colleague and my friend.

I like to call her the current day mother of voting rights, fighting, and telling her story, leading us with John Lewis every year since I have been in Congress, and before, across that Edmund Pettus Bridge.

Listening to her so scholarly debate the lawsuits that we have been confronted with, Shelby v. Holder.

Listening to her explain preclearance and why we must fight and why we must have hearings. Why we must get it right because there is so much at stake.

Mr. TORRES of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Alabama (Ms. Sewell).

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