Issue Position: Civil Rights

Issue Position

Fifty years ago this past August, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in a crucial moment for the Civil Rights Movement. Hundreds of thousands of men and women lined the National Mall and embraced Dr. King's dream for an end to racial segregation and discrimination in the United States. The bravery of those who held peaceful sit-ins, participated in rallies, and demanded change paved the way for a better and more equal America.

Earlier this year the Supreme Court ruled that a key portion of the Voting Rights Act, a landmark piece of legislation for civil rights, was unconstitutional. This decision puts all of our rights in jeopardy and endangers the most sacred piece of our democracy, the right to vote. Many Americans worked tirelessly for the Voting Rights Act to be passed -- and our country is doing them, and all Americans, a great disservice by upending key provisions of this law.

The Supreme Court's ruling on the overturn of DOMA, the Defense of Marriage Act, was a momentous victory for civil rights and the LGBT community. I believe that all Americans should be afforded the same federal rights and responsibilities. No one should be denied rights because of whom they love. That is why I am a proud cosponsor of the Respect for Marriage Act.

Whether it's protecting voting rights, providing equal rights to the LGBT community, or making sure that people with disabilities have the opportunity to live fulfilling lives, the work to complete Dr. King's dream is far from finished.

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