[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 45 (Tuesday, March 17, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E340-E341]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 THE BATTLE WAGES ON: SECURING EQUAL VOTING RIGHTS IN THE UNITED STATES

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 16, 2015

  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, this year, we 
celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It is 
an historic piece of legislation that was signed with the pride, 
humility and blood of brave men and women whose courage has watered the 
soil of our nation's democracy. For decades, it has been revered as a 
pillar of America's transformative society. It represented the promise 
of our forefathers.
  Yet, fifty years after its passage, the laws' promises are 
unfulfilled. And, reflective of the nation's climate during the civil 
rights era, we are witnessing divisive political forces rally to 
resurrect the abhorrent practices of racial discrimination and 
disenfranchisement.
  Fifty years after the passage of the Voting Rights Act, minorities 
across the country are fighting against state voter i.d. laws for the 
right to vote. Despite the Supreme Court's erroneous holding that 
``[o]ur country has changed,'' and there is no longer a need for 
federal preclearance for changes in voting laws, minorities are facing 
increased barriers to the ballot box.
  While there have certainly been great progress, we still have a long 
way to go. In the 1960's, our nation was marked by moments of crises, 
war, poverty and mass social

[[Page E341]]

injustices. Fifty years later, our nation bears the same markings. We 
met the challenges then. It is time we rise to that challenge once 
more. Despite the current climate, when it appears that we are fighting 
a lost cause, we must remember that it is our patriotic duty to 
continue to fight. We must fight to honor the legacy of those who 
fought for us. Not only is it our duty to vote--it is also our 
constitutional right: one that should be protected and restored by 
Congress.

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