[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Pages 10456-10457]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           VOTING RIGHTS ACT

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, in less than 18 months, Americans all over 
the country will cast their ballots in the 2016 elections. This 
exercise fulfills one of the most basic promises of our constitutional 
democracy: that all citizens have the right to vote, regardless of 
race, gender, or social status.
  This right to vote and the guarantee that each vote counts equally is 
the foundation of our form of government. It ensures that as this 
country changes, the elected officials who represent its citizens will 
also reflect those changes. The electorate should be able to elect 
those who represent them, their thoughts, and their ideals. Yet, there 
is an ongoing effort all over America to obstruct the work of 
perfecting our Union by hindering progress where it is needed the most.
  We see this reflected in the debate about whether the Confederate 
flag--a symbol of bigotry and racism--still has a place on public 
lands. There should be no debate. The answer to this question is no. 
And that matter should have been settled long ago. It was not. It took 
the deaths of nine innocent people, perhaps, to move this issue 
forward.
  We see this reflected in the debate about whether gay people have the 
right to marry. After all that has gone on, there should be no debate 
in this regard. The answer to this question is yes. The matter should 
have been settled long ago.
  We see this reflected in the insidious fight to keep certain citizens 
from exercising their constitutional right to vote by instituting voter 
ID laws. There should be no debate. The answer to this question is no 
poll tax or any sort of maneuver designed to prevent voting should 
exist anyplace at any time. That matter was settled long ago--or at 
least we thought it was.
  The fight is not new. It is deeply rooted in our Nation's history. I 
finished many years ago now a book, ``Freedom Summer,'' about these 
courageous, brilliant young men and women who went to Mississippi and 
spent one summer. It pointed out how the people of Mississippi at that 
time would do anything they could to keep an African American from 
voting. That is wrong. The Constitution now grants women and citizens 
of all races the right to vote. There have long been efforts to 
undermine that right. We also see it playing out in State capitols 
across the country. Districts are being gerrymandered to ensure that 
minority votes have the least possible impact on election outcomes. We 
have seen it playing out in courtrooms, where the Voting Rights Act has 
been under attack.
  Congress passed the Voting Rights Act 50 years ago--hard to believe 
but 50 years ago. Historically, it is one of the country's most 
important laws--or was an important law. It aimed to clear the path to 
the ballot box for all citizens who choose to vote. But 2 years ago, 
the Supreme Court, in one of their questionable decisions, struck down 
a crucial section of the Voting Rights Act, in a 5-to-4 decision in the 
case of Shelby County v. Holder. As a result of the Court's decision, 
it is now easier for States to enact laws making it harder for citizens 
to vote, and they have taken that way past where they should have. 
Voter ID, shortening the time for early voting--they are doing so many 
different things to prevent people from voting. It is hard to believe 
there would be efforts made to stop people from voting.
  In the States where we have same-day registration, I am not aware of 
a single case--not a single case of any type of fraud. The voter 
turnout where we have same-day registration is tremendous.
  In the Presiding Officer's State and my State, there have been 
efforts made over the years to make sure that 30 days before an 
election, either a primary or general, no more registrations. How 
ridiculous. I personally have tried to get that changed for decades, 
but no luck. The county clerks from 15 rural counties have enough juice 
in the State legislature to prevent that from happening. It is too bad. 
Why in the world should we stop registration a month before an 
election? Election day is when people are so excited about voting. So I 
am really very disappointed in what is happening in my own State 
regarding keeping people from voting.
  The Voting Rights Act was very important, but now it is harder and 
harder for people to vote. There is little question that Republican-
controlled State legislatures have taken advantage of this decision. I 
repeat: In States all across this country, Republican-controlled State 
legislatures have passed burdensome voter ID laws that target minority 
voters especially, college students especially, and many other groups, 
to prevent them from voting.
  In Ohio--a State that experienced the longest voting lines in the 
Nation, even longer than the questionable Florida election--the 
Republican legislature scaled back early-voting hours in an effort to 
keep people from voting. The legislature in North Carolina eliminated 
same-day registration when it worked so well and the turnout--it helped 
significantly. How can we work to form a more perfect union when some 
States actively work to prevent our fellow citizens from voting?
  We have a moral obligation to protect the right to vote for every 
American citizen. Our country is stronger when every eligible voter 
participates. The Dean of the Senate, Senator Leahy, has introduced 
robust legislation to repair the damage from the Supreme Court's Shelby 
County decision. I am happy to support the efforts made by the senior 
Senator from Vermont. His bill will restore the heart of the Voting 
Rights Act. It will create a new nationwide coverage formula that 
applies to any State with repeated voting rights violations in the last 
25 years. It will also establish a targeted process

[[Page 10457]]

for reviewing voting changes and also any changes these jurisdictions 
make all around the country that have a record of discrimination 
against voters. This bill requires reasonable public notice for voting 
changes and also allows the Attorney General to request Federal 
observers to be present in places where a serious threat of racial 
discrimination may occur.
  We must do everything we can to restore and reestablish and defend 
the Voting Rights Act. Congress must act to protect one of the most 
important legislative accomplishments of the civil rights era. We 
should ensure that every American has equal access to the ballot. It is 
the right thing to do. As Dr. King said many years ago, ``There comes a 
time when one must take a position that is neither safe nor politic, 
nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is 
right.'' To push forward, under the words of Dr. King, is so important.
  Let's do everything we can to have people vote. Let's stand together 
on increasing, not diminishing, one's ability to vote. Why? Because it 
is the right thing to do.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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