[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 173 (Tuesday, December 1, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1682]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       IN SUPPORT OF H.R. 2967 THE VOTING RIGHTS ADVANCEMENT ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. TERRI A. SEWELL

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 1, 2015

  Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 
2967 the Voting Rights Advancement Act and to recognize today as 
Restoration Tuesday.
   Our sacred right to vote has come under attack in numerous states 
across the country in the aftermath of the Supreme Court's ruling in 
Shelby County v. Holder. Many states, including my home state of 
Alabama, have enacted pernicious and burdensome voter ID laws that have 
the practical effect of restricting access to the polls for low income 
and minority voters.
   Recently, Alabama closed 31 DMVs, leaving 29 Alabama counties 
without a DMV. Fifteen of those counties are located in rural Black 
Belt communities. Driver's licenses are the most popular form of photo 
identification used to vote. The heart of the problem lies with access. 
How can Alabama require a photo ID to vote, and then limit access to 
the most popular form of ID used? It is unconscionable that my 
constituents will be denied their constitutionally protected right to 
vote because they do not have access to a valid photo ID.
   Despite the Governor's recent decision to reopen these DMVs once a 
month, critical access to these commonly used forms of photo IDs is 
still an issue for far too many minorities, senior citizens, and those 
living in rural communities. The reality is that opening these offices 
for once a month provides only bare minimum access, and that is 
unacceptable. Had the preclearance requirements of the Voting Rights 
Act of 1965 still been in place, Alabama's decision to close these DMVs 
would have likely had to have been reviewed by the Department of 
Justice.
   In Alabama, the DMV closures occurred under the guise of budgetary 
concerns. Any budgetary savings are far outweighed by the 
discriminatory impact these closures will have on my constituents' 
ability to access the polls. But these types of discriminatory 
decisions are not exclusive to Alabama. These DMV closures are 
indicative of a broader and systematic effort that threatens to 
undermine our most basic right as Americans--the right to vote.
   Protecting the right to vote for all Americans, especially those 
traditionally excluded from the democratic process should be top 
priority for us all. Every eligible voter must be allowed to cast his 
or her ballot unhindered by laws that deter participation in our 
democracy.
   As Members of Congress, we must speak up for the voices of the 
excluded. If we do not act then we risk silencing these voices forever. 
We must fight to restore the critical protections of the Voting Rights 
Act of 1965 that were struck down in the Shelby vs Holder case. Now is 
the time to restore the vote.

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