[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 144 (Thursday, September 22, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1349-E1350]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             VOTING RIGHTS

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 21, 2016

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, thank you to my friend, Congresswoman Sewell, 
for leading this special order and for all her work to empower 
underrepresented voices in our country.
  I also want to thank my good friend and colleague, Assistant 
Democratic Leader James Clyburn, for his tireless leadership of the 
Democratic Outreach and Engagement Task Force. I also want to thank him 
for coming to my district for the town hall meeting I hosted about 
voting rights. Under his guidance, the taskforce held forums across the 
country and heard from thousands of constituents.

[[Page E1350]]

  Mr. Speaker, it is clear--we need to urgently protect voting rights.
  That is why I rise today as a member of the Democratic Outreach and 
Engagement Task Force to challenge this House to do the right thing and 
protect the sacred right of Americans to vote.
  Last summer, the Voting Rights Act celebrated its 50th anniversary. 
Tragically, five decades after this monumental legislation was passed, 
the voting rights of Americans are under unprecedented attack.
  After the Supreme Court callously and carelessly gutted the Voting 
Rights Act in its Shelby v. Holder decision, Republicans in state 
legislators have fallen over themselves to institute a wave of voting 
restrictions across the country.
  Make no mistake, these restrictions amount to nothing more than a 
modern day poll tax.
  We shouldn't be erecting unnecessary and dangerous barriers to the 
ballot box. We should empower Americans to participate in our 
democracy.
  Yet, time and time again--this Congress and the Judiciary Committee 
have refused to take action. Instead of protecting our sacred right to 
vote, this Congress is allowing that right to be eroded.
  Mr. Speaker, the American people deserve better. It's past time for 
us to do our job.
  Right now, there is bipartisan legislation waiting for action. The 
Voting Rights Amendment Act (H.R. 885) would reinstate the much needed 
preclearance statute to ensure that infringements on voting rights are 
addressed long before Election Day. Long before an American is denied 
their right to vote, a right that millions have fought and died for--
from the Revolution to Neshoba County.
  Likewise, the Voting Rights Advancement Act (H.R. 2867) also re-
establishes the preclearance system and our discharge petition has 181 
signatories--I encourage all of my colleagues to sign it and help us 
protect the voting rights of all Americans.
  However, it's past time that we do more. We must empower voters, 
every day Americans, to have a stronger, more powerful voice in our 
democracy.
  That's why I am so proud to have co-sponsored the Voter Empowerment 
Act (H.R. 12) offered by the great Civil Rights champion, Congressman 
John Lewis. This legislation would empower voters by modernizing voter 
registration and utilizing new technologies at the ballot box.
  Mr. Speaker, it's past time to pass these bills. It's past time to do 
our jobs.
  As our great drum major for peace and justice, Dr. King, once said: 
``Give us the ballot, and we will fill our legislative halls with men 
of goodwill.''
  Mr. Speaker, let's show the American people some goodwill and allow 
them to vote, unobstructed.

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