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DeLauro Votes to Protect the Right to Vote for All Americans, Honor the Legacy of John Lewis

August 24, 2021

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, House Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) voted to pass H.R. 4, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, to restore critical protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and ensure that every eligible American voter can have their voice heard. Amid the most coordinated state-level effort to restrict the right to vote in generations, H.R. 4 would prevent states and localities with a recent history of voter discrimination from restricting the right to vote by requiring these jurisdictions to obtain federal preclearance before changing their voting laws.

"Ensuring all Americans can freely participate in the electoral process is a bedrock of our democratic society," said Congresswoman DeLauro. "We are witnessing an unprecedented wave of state voter suppression laws across the country. As states introduce hundreds of restrictive, anti-voter bills, the need to restore federal oversight has never been more urgent. I am proud that today, we took the crucial steps necessary to restore the full protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by passing H.R. 4, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. This bill honors the legacy of John Lewis and all those who sacrificed for the right of all Americans to vote."

For decades, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) prevented states and localities from restricting the right to vote. However, in its disastrous Shelby County v. Holder decision in 2013, the Supreme Court gutted the law, invalidating Section 4 and striking down the formula used to determine which jurisdictions are subject to federal oversight. In July 2021, the Court further weakened the law in its decision in Brnovich v. DNC which made it more difficult to challenge discriminatory voting laws under Section 2.

Since 2013, there has been a steady increase in the number of restrictive voting laws that disproportionately suppress turnout among minorities, young adults, and aging Americans. This accelerated in 2021 with the Big Lie of a "stolen election." Just this year, 18 states have enacted at least 30 laws to restrict access to the vote.

Named for the late Congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis, H.R. 4 restores the preclearance requirement, allowing the federal government to once again reject many restrictions to voting, and creates a new practice-based preclearance requirement. The bill also eliminates the heightened standard for challenging voter suppression laws, which was created by the Brnovich decision.

"What we do at this moment determines the course of our democracy for decades to come," DeLauro continued. "Fifty-six years ago, heroes like my friend John Lewis shed blood on the Edmund Pettus Bridge for the right of all Americans to vote. Today, as that right comes under attack once again, we honor their legacy by passing this critical legislation."

The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act will also:

  • Allow federal courts to immediately halt measures that put voting rights at stake until a final ruling is made.
  • Empower the Attorney General to request that federal election observers be present anywhere in the country where discriminatory voting practices pose a serious threat.
  • Require reasonable public notice for proposed voting changes to increase transparency.
  • Allow the federal government to review already-enacted but not-yet-implemented measures.
  • Help plaintiffs seek injunctive relief for voting rights violations ahead of an election.
  • Establish a grant program for small jurisdictions to help them comply with the bill's requirement to provide public notice for proposed voting laws.

After passing today in the House, H.R. 4 will now go to the Senate for consideration.