Rep. Sewell Introduces the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015


Statement

Today, Congresswoman Terri Sewell announced that she is a lead sponsor of the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015, a bill that restores and advances the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by providing a modern day coverage test that will extend federal oversight to jurisdictions which have a history of voter suppression and protects vulnerable communities from discriminatory voting practices.

"There is an urgent need to protect the progress we have made since the courageous Foot Soldiers of the Voting Rights Movement dared to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge 50 years ago. We have inherited their legacy, and the fight to ensure that all Americans can participate in our political process continues today. The Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015 takes an expansive view of the need to protect access to the voting booth, and will offer more voter protection to more people in more states.

"The updated coverage formula in this bill will ensure that states, like Alabama, are required to obtain federal preclearance for changes to voting practices and procedures that could have a discriminatory impact. Alabama has a storied history of voter suppression, and it is ironic that the same state that launched the voting rights movement has become fertile ground for its demise.

"On the eve of the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, I urge my colleagues to recommit ourselves to restoring the promise of voter equality. We cannot silence any voices in our electorate. Our nation will cease to be a democracy if we limit access to voting."

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