[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 101 (Thursday, June 26, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1075-E1076]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             IN SUPPORT OF THE VOTING RIGHTS AMENDMENT ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ANNA G. ESHOO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 26, 2014

  Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3899, the Voting 
Rights Amendment Act, and urge the full House to vote on this 
legislation without delay. Voting is one of our most fundamental rights 
as Americans, and any attempts to limit this right on a discriminatory 
basis must be struck down.
   The constitutional right to vote existed for nearly a century, but 
millions of Americans were still routinely denied the right to vote 
based on the color of their skin. In 1965, Congress passed the Voting 
Rights Act and our country made incredible strides to eliminate voter 
suppression and discrimination.
   Discrimination at the polls is still a fact of life in many parts of 
our country. Congress recognized this when it passed the most recent 
reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act in 2006 by a unanimous vote in 
the Senate and a 390-33 margin in the House. Despite this overwhelming 
bipartisan support in Congress and a voluminous record detailing the 
ongoing need for this legislation, one year ago this week, the Supreme 
Court struck down the heart of the Voting Rights Act in Shelby County 
v. Holder.
   Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wisely stated in her dissent of the 
Court's decision that to strike down the Voting Rights Act ``when it 
has worked and is continuing to work to stop discriminatory changes [to 
election laws] is like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm 
because you're not getting wet.'' With efforts across the country to 
restrict the ability of individuals to register and vote, it's clear 
that we still need the ``umbrella'' protection that the Voting Rights 
Act has provided for nearly 50 years.
   The Voting Rights Amendment Act is a bipartisan measure that will 
restore the critical voting protections that were struck down by the 
Supreme Court in Shelby. This bill will ensure that states and 
localities that have a recent history of voting rights violations will 
be subject to the same strong oversight that has been so successful 
since 1965.
   On the day he signed the Voting Rights Act, President Lyndon Johnson 
stated: ``Today is a triumph for freedom as huge as any victory that 
has ever been won on any battlefield.'' Congress has a similar 
opportunity to ensure that the all-important protections of the Voting 
Rights Act remain in place. Let's join together and ensure that this 
``triumph for freedom'' is not lost forever.

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