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Watson Coleman Statement on the 50th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act

Statement

Date: Aug. 6, 2015
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

Today, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman issued the following statement recognizing the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act's signing by President Lyndon B. Johnson on August 6, 1965:

"The 50th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act is a sober and bittersweet reminder that much of the battle for the right to vote still remains before us. Unfortunately, Congress has thus far failed to reauthorize the critical protections the Voting Rights Act provided for millions of Americans. The right to vote is the bedrock of our democracy; policy makers should fight to expand, not roll back or otherwise diminish that right.

"When the Voting Rights Act was signed into law, Dr. King called it, "a great step forward in removing all the remaining obstacles to the right to vote.' We would honor the legacy of leaders like King and the countless others who fought for this landmark legislation by continuing to remove those barriers, and ensuring every voice is heard on election day."


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