[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 866 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 866

    Expressing support for designation of the month of September as 
                   ``National Voting Rights Month''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 13, 2016

 Mr. Veasey submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
  the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on 
House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Expressing support for designation of the month of September as 
                   ``National Voting Rights Month''.

Whereas from 1954-1968 African-Americans in the South suffered from the 
        oppressive effects of Jim Crow laws designed to prevent political, 
        economic, and social mobility;
Whereas African-Americans were subject to violence, poll taxes, literacy tests, 
        all White primaries, property ownership tests, grandfather clauses, 
        voter roll purges, and the prevention of former prisoners from voting;
Whereas in 1965, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to protect the 
        rights of African-Americans and other traditionally disenfranchised 
        groups to vote;
Whereas in 2013, the Supreme Court invalidated section four of the Voting Rights 
        Act, dismantling the pre-clearance provision in the law that protected 
        voters in States that historically have suppressed the rights of 
        minorities to vote;
Whereas the Shelby vs. Holder Supreme Court decision calls on Congress to fix 
        the Voting Rights Act formula of 1965;
Whereas in 33 States some form of restrictive voting law has been instituted 
        since 2013;
Whereas these restrictive voting laws encompass cut backs in early voting, voter 
        roll purges, placement of faulty equipment in minority communities, 
        requirement of photo identification--the procurement of which amounts to 
        a modern day poll tax, and elimination of same day registration;
Whereas more than 80 million minority, elderly, poor, and disabled voters could 
        be disenfranchised by these changes in voting;
Whereas in 2016 discriminatory laws in North Carolina, Wisconsin, North Dakota, 
        and Texas have been ruled unconstitutional and overturned by the courts;
Whereas there are local elected officials who refuse to adhere to Federal court 
        decisions that have struck down suppressive voting laws instituted since 
        the Supreme Court's Shelby vs. Holder case;
Whereas there is much more work to be done to ensure all Americans have the 
        right to vote;
Whereas the 2016 Presidential election, one of the most important elections in 
        recent history, is upon us and millions of Americans will be unable to 
        vote;
Whereas National Voter Registration Day is September 27; and
Whereas the month of September would be an appropriate month to designate as 
        ``National Voting Rights Month'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of ``National Voting Rights 
        Month'';
            (2) encourages all people in the United States to uphold 
        the right of every American to exercise their sacred and 
        fundamental right to vote; and
            (3) endorses the following solutions to further the mission 
        of allowing all citizens to vote--
                    (A) that our Nation's public schools and 
                universities develop an academic curriculum, whereby 
                students learn about the importance of voting, how to 
                become registered to vote, where to vote, and the 
                different forms of voting. This curriculum would 
                include teaching the history of voter suppression in 
                America before the 1965 Civil Rights Act was passed. It 
                would also teach students about current issues that are 
                related to laws that have been passed to restrict the 
                vote since 1965 or any actions taken by local, State, 
                and the Federal Government officials since passage of 
                the 1965 Civil Rights Act that have created barriers to 
                being able to vote. The right to vote education 
                curriculum would include an examination of bills that 
                have been introduced on the Federal, State, and local 
                level to ensure the right to vote in an election;
                    (B) that the Department of the Treasury issue a 
                special Martin Luther King or Fannie Lou Hamer stamp 
                during the month of September, to remind Americans 
                about how ordinary citizens risked their lives, 
                marched, and participated in our great democracy so all 
                Americans would have the fundamental right to vote;
                    (C) that Members of Congress during the month of 
                September, in a bi-partisan fashion, go to the House 
                Floor in order to highlight the importance of voting in 
                elections, or to highlight any problems with being able 
                to vote;
                    (D) Congress should allocate the requisite funds 
                needed for public service announcements on television, 
                radio, newspapers, magazines, social media, bill 
                boards, buses, and other forms of media to remind 
                Americans when elections are being held, and to urge 
                people to get out and vote; and
                    (E) Members of Congress pass legislation that will 
                allow all citizens upon reaching the age of 18, 
                determined by using birth records, to be automatically 
                enrolled to vote in Federal elections.
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