[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 164 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 164

Expressing the support for the passage of the Voting Rights Advancement 
                              Act of 2015.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 27, 2016

 Mr. Veasey (for himself, Ms. Sewell of Alabama, Mrs. Watson Coleman, 
  Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Ted Lieu of California, and Mr. Pocan) 
 submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
                     the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the support for the passage of the Voting Rights Advancement 
                              Act of 2015.

Whereas the right to vote, guaranteed by the 15th amendment to the Constitution, 
        is one of the fundamental rights in which the United States political 
        system is built, and for which many brave United States citizens fought, 
        bled, and died to secure;
Whereas the Voting Rights Act of 1965 prevents disenfranchisement of voters due 
        to race, color, or language, and was instrumental in allowing millions 
        of minority United States citizens to vote for the first time;
Whereas the Voting Rights Act of 1965 provides extensive voter protections for 
        the people of the United States including section 5, which required 
        ``covered jurisdictions'', those locales with a history of restricting 
        the minority vote, to receive Federal approval before altering voting 
        practices and procedures;
Whereas the 2013 Supreme Court decision in Shelby County v. Holder effectively 
        dismantled this key provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by 
        striking section 4(b), the coverage formula used to identify ``coverage 
        jurisdictions'';
Whereas since this decision, a wave of voter suppression tactics have been 
        enacted in 33 States that have implemented laws that make it difficult 
        for traditionally disenfranchised communities to exercise their right to 
        vote;
Whereas these present conditions represent a voting crisis caused by voter 
        suppression and intimidation tactics formerly remedied by the original 
        Voting Rights Act of 1965;
Whereas on several occasions since 1965 and most recently as of 2006, the United 
        States Congress has recognized the need to amend, extend, and strengthen 
        the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in a broad bipartisan fashion;
Whereas Congress has the authority to create a new formula, based on current 
        conditions, to determine which jurisdictions must submit to pre-
        clearance under section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965; and
Whereas Congress has the opportunity to create and pass such a formula in the 
        proposed Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) observes and recognizes the new crisis of voter 
        suppression tactics that have been enacted by States and 
        localities since the Shelby County v. Holder Supreme Court 
        decision; and
            (2) urges congressional leadership to allow for an 
        immediate vote on the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015.
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