Rangel Calls for Bipartisan Action to Restore the Voting Rights Act

Press Release

Congressman Charles B. Rangel marked the 51st anniversary of the signing of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) and called on Republicans in Congress to allow a vote on bipartisan legislation to restore the VRA and end race discrimination at the ballot box.

"House Republicans have done little more than pay lip service to voting rights for three years," said Rangel. "Actions speak louder than words. House Republicans cannot continue to say they support voting rights, while refusing to restore the Voting Rights Act. This is why I am proud to have signed a discharge petition to bring to the Floor and force an immediate vote on bipartisan legislation to restore and strengthen the Voting Rights Act. In the greatest democracy on earth, the path to the ballot box should be open to all Americans."

Three years ago, in Shelby County v. Holder, which has been called "a dagger in the heart of the Voting Rights Act," the Supreme Court invalidated a key component of the VRA which allowed states to make changes to the electoral system. Since then, the right to vote has been under coordinated attack around the country. New restrictions such as photo ID requirements and cutbacks on early voting have been put in place in 22 states -- 18 of them Republican led -- since 2010, making it harder for millions of Americans to exercise their right to vote.

In Shelby County v. Holder, Chief Justice Roberts acknowledged the ongoing persistence of voter discrimination and invited Congress to come up with a new coverage formula based on current conditions. Two bipartisan bills in Congress would do so, but Republican leaders in the House and Senate have refused to allow a vote on either.

"More than 50 years ago, I marched from Selma to Washington with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and many other civil rights leaders to fight for our right to vote," said Rangel. "What started out as a march turned into a movement that ultimately led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1964, which we must continue to protect and expand."

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