Rangel: Keep Marching To Protect Voting Rights For All
Press Release
Congressman Charles B. Rangel, who represents the 13th Congressional District of New York that includes Upper Manhattan and parts of the Bronx, released the following statement for the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA), which prohibited racial discrimination in voting. The Act has been amended and reauthorized by Congress on a bipartisan basis in 1970, 1975, 1982, 1992 and, most recently, in 2006:
"As a young man, I proudly joined Dr. King's march from Selma to Montgomery to fight for equality and to ensure one of nation's most sacred rights to all: the right to vote. Those with me on the march endured high-pressure water hoses, attack dogs, and beatings for the chance to participate in our democracy. Our cries were heard. Fifty years ago today, Congress passed and President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Voting Rights Act of 1965, prohibiting racial discrimination at the polls.
Unfortunately, recent years have seen efforts to chip away at the progress our country has made since the march in Selma. In 2013, the United States Supreme Court struck down a key component of the bill that determines where resources to support voting rights are most needed. From literacy tests to cutting early voting, and from poll taxes to unnecessary voter IDs, our county has more to do protect voting rights. The Republican-led Congress must enact a revised, renewed and strengthened Voting Rights Act. We must recommit ourselves to fully restoring the fundamental right that is guaranteed to every citizen.
One of the best ways to help protect and fight for the Voting Rights Act is to exercise your right to vote. Whether you are a new citizen, have just turned 18, or just have simply never cast your ballot before, make sure your voice is heard. Every new registered voter honors the sacrifices that were made to ensure this sacred right. Let us show that the voice of the People cannot be silenced and Freedom will ring."
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