[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 73 (Tuesday, May 10, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E658-E659]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         AN AMERICAN WITH A FELONY CHARGE IS STILL AN AMERICAN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. TERRI A. SEWELL

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 10, 2016

  Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today on this Restoration 
Tuesday, I rise to acknowledge the continued voter suppression around 
the country during this election year and the ongoing battle for 
protection of the constitutional right to vote.
   Across the country, voting polls have been shut down and voters have 
been shut out. New voter ID laws have been passed and eligible voters 
have been passed up. The American people want to vote. With so many new 
state laws that have made it harder for voters to get to the polls, we 
must take a hard look around and ask the question--why don't we want 
people to vote? Why make voting for eligible voters harder and not 
easier? The leaders in Congress need to have an answer to this 
question. Suppression of the right to vote is especially un-democratic 
and ultimately un-American.
   Not only are voting rights being attacked through its process, but 
there are Americans in this country that have been targeted as well. A 
felony charge does not automatically make someone any less American. 
Why then, should Americans who have served their time be removed from 
the democratic process? Just last month, Governor McAuliffe of Virginia 
had a response to this question; and his action made a clear 
statement--former felons are still Americans and they still have 
rights. Faced now with not only severe scrutiny but a lawsuit as well, 
Governor McAuliffe boldly did what he believes to be constitutional, 
democratic and right when he restored the voting rights of all 
Virginians with a prior felony conviction who fully served their time 
and have been released from supervised probation or parole.
   The state of Virginia is not alone. On March 10 of this year, 
Maryland also restored the right to vote for an estimated 40,000 
individuals with past felony convictions. On that date, Maryland joined 
13 other states as well as the District of Columbia in putting a stop 
to this continued disenfranchisement that plagues the majority of 
states in the country, including Alabama. We may be faced with great 
opposition, but fear of a fight is not an excuse to run away from doing 
what is right.
   I don't have to remind anyone that this is an election year. But 
when I look around and see the ongoing suppression of the right to 
vote, I feel obligated to remind us all of what is at stake in this 
election. Every vote counts. Everyone who calls the USA their home will 
have to deal with the consequences of this election. Americans who are 
convicted felons will have to deal with the consequences. They should 
not have to deal with these consequences in silence. They too have a 
voice and they too must be heard.
   Voting rights need protection and eligible voters need proponents of 
the Constitution and the democratic process to fight for them--to fight 
for their rights. The suppression needs to stop, the oppression needs 
to stop and the excuses need to stop. There is too much at stake this 
election year and Congress needs to stand up and do something about it 
now.
   On this Restoration Tuesday, I give us all the charge to battle 
against the continued suppression of the American vote and stand strong 
by our principles of democracy, liberty and justice for all.
   Mr. Speaker, my Republican colleagues should join the 168 Members of 
Congress and support H.R. 2867--the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 
2015. Let's restore the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It is the right 
thing to do.

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