House Votes to Restore Voting Rights Act

WASHINGTON – Democratic Policy and Communications Committee Chair David N. Cicilline (RI-01) released the following statement today after the House passed the Voting Rights Advancement Act (H.R. 4), legislation he cosponsored to protect every American’s right to vote by restoring the Voting Rights Act and fighting back against Republican attempts to make it more difficult for people to participate in the democratic process:

“The right to vote is the very foundation of our democracy. As Americans, we hold the sole power to choose our elected officials. We should do everything we can to ensure every single American has the ability to cast their vote free from undue burdens established by politicians trying to rig an election in their favor. I’m proud to see this important legislation pass the House, and I’ll continue working to get it signed into law.”

In 2013, the Supreme Court unleashed a new wave of discriminatory voting practices by gutting the protections in the Voting Rights Act. This opened the floodgates for Republican politicians across America to make it more difficult for working people, young people, and minority voters to make their voices heard at the ballot box.

The Voting Rights Advancement Act will not only restore the full protections of the Voting Rights Act, but it will also provide the tools needed to address new discriminatory practices in the future. H.R. 4 now heads to the Senate, where a companion bill has been introduced by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and has the support of 45 cosponsors.

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