[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 142 (Tuesday, September 20, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1317]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            NO MORE EXCUSES, NO MORE LIES. RESTORE THE VOTE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. TERRI A. SEWELL

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 20, 2016

  Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to address the 
ongoing problem of voter suppression in this country and the pressing 
need to restore the vote.
  The American people are tired. Tired of the lies, tired of the 
excuses and tired of being silenced. Our country was founded on the 
strong values of democracy and those principles are embedded throughout 
the Constitution. Why then must we continue to fight and ask the 
leaders of this country to support an essential right--the right to 
vote? Instead of making changes, Republicans in Congress are making 
excuses--excuses to justify suppressive voting laws and false alarms of 
an alleged concern of voter fraud. This is an election year and there 
is too much at stake. Enough is enough.
  Following the 2013 Supreme Court decision in Shelly v. Holder, states 
all across the country put in place new suppressive voting laws 
including new regulations for voter IDs under the guise of fighting 
against the problem of voter fraud. Mr. Speaker, too often a lie can be 
viewed as truth simply because the lie is repeated over and over and 
over again. But here is the truth--one of the most comprehensive 
studies to date found that between 2000 and 2014, out of nearly one 
billion votes cast in America, there were only 31 possible cases of 
voter impersonation fraud. 31 out of one billion. Is voter fraud truly 
a problem in this country? The numbers and facts reveal quite the 
opposite.
  The cost/benefit analysis simply doesn't add up. Hundreds of 
thousands of eligible voters are potentially being blocked from the 
ballot box because of these new suppressive voter ID laws. The voter 
fraud myth has been used as a pathetic excuse to justify the silencing 
of select Americans nation-wide. Where there is no vote, there is no 
voice. We can no longer allow Americans to be silenced and subjected to 
these charades.
  Republican leaders cannot continue to say they support voting rights, 
while refusing to restore the Voting Rights Act. They cannot continue 
to say they disavow racism, while refusing to restore the Voting Rights 
Act and protect against racial discrimination at the polls. The 
hypocrisy has to stop. The repeated lies need to end. We are in 
desperate need for immediate action in this country. These threats to 
our democracy and civil rights bar thousands of Americans from their 
right to the voting polls. I am committed to push for improving and 
strengthening voting rights legislation that makes voting easier, not 
harder for the American people.
  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.

                          ____________________