[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 84 (Thursday, May 26, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E799-E800]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          DEMOCRACY IN CRISIS

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 23, 2016

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, tonight I rise with my colleagues in the 
Congressional Black Caucus to urge our Republican colleagues to stop 
their reckless assault on the right to vote in America.
  First, let me thank my colleagues, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty and 
Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, for organizing this important special 
order and for their dedicated leadership in ensuring equality and 
liberty for all.
  I'd also like to thank Chairman G. K. Butterfield for his mighty 
leadership of our caucus as we work to ensure all Americans have an 
equal voice at the ballot box.
  At the signing of the Voting Rights Act in 1965, President Johnson 
told the American people: ``The vote is the most powerful instrument 
ever devised by man for breaking down injustice and destroying the 
terrible walls which imprison men because they are different from other 
men.''
  And Dr. King, our drum major for peace and justice, agreed saying: 
``Voting is the foundation stone for political action.''
  I am proud to say that we have come a long way in the 50 years since 
the signing of the Voting Rights Act. In April, the Supreme Court 
unanimously upheld ``one person one vote'' with its 8-0 ruling, in 
Evenwel v. Abbott. The ruling affirmed that legislative districts must 
continue to be drawn based on total population, not just the total 
number of voters. This will ensure that the concerns of all 
constituents will be equally represented.
  However, we must confront the fact that our voting rights are once 
again under attack. There are many working to turn back the clock, so 
we must continue working to ensure that each man and woman has an equal 
voice at the ballot box.
  We cannot allow the victories of the Civil Rights Movement to be 
undone.
  In 2013, the Supreme Court opened the door to these voting rights 
attacks. In its Shelby v. Holder decision, the Court carelessly and 
callously gutted the milestone the Voting Rights Act.
  In the three years following this ruling, we've watched Republican 
state legislatures fall over themselves to erect new and undemocratic 
barriers to the ballot box.
  This year, 16 states instituted new restrictions for the first time
  Let me repeat--for the first time, during a presidential election 
year, 16 states instituted new voting restrictions. And the clearly 
partisan nature of these voting rights attacks is not lost on the 
American people.
  These new barriers range from unnecessary voter ID laws, to ending 
same-day voter registration and reducing or completing eliminating 
early voting.
  Since 2010, 21 states have implemented new restrictions.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a crisis; our democracy is in crisis.
  While states have put up barriers, Speaker Ryan, Judiciary Chairman 
Goodlatte and some Congressional Republicans have ignored the clear, 
bipartisan conscience to fix the Voting Rights Act and restore voting 
rights protections for all Americans.
  Republican Congressman James Sensenbrenner has introduced the 
bipartisan Voting Rights Amendment Act (H.R. 885), which I am proud to 
co-sponsor with 105 of my colleagues, including 14 Republican Members 
representing 11 different states.
  But let me be clear--simply fixing the Voting Rights Act is not 
enough.

[[Page E800]]

  We need to empower voters and Congresswoman Sewell's bill--the Voting 
Rights Advancement Act (H.R. 2867)--would do just that.
  Now--we often talk about how states in the south like Alabama have 
laws threatening voting rights. But this is still an issue around the 
country, including in California.
  While California has implemented many policies that improve access to 
the ballot box, including vote-by-mail, automatic voter registration 
and expanded absentee voting--we are not perfect.
  Three California counties--Kings County, Monterey County and Yuba 
County--were covered by the section 5 of the Voting Rights Act before 
the Shelby decision--meaning they needed preclearance from the Justice 
Department before changing voting rules or jurisdiction.
  Mr. Speaker, we must restore the preclearance process to prevent 
voter discrimination and disenfranchisement before it happens--not 
after.
  It is clear--our democracy is in a crisis. There is an assault 
against voting rights and we must come together to stop it.
  My Democratic colleagues and the Congressional Black Caucus are 
serious about protecting voting rights and pass the Voting Rights 
Advancement Act. It is past time that all Republicans in Congress join 
our efforts to protect the foundation of our democracy: the right to 
vote.
  Our work is not over until the voice of EVERY American is equally 
heard.

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