[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 10627]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       RECOGNIZING THE DAMAGING IMPACT OF SHELBY COUNTY V. HOLDER

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                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 25, 2015

  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on the 
2nd anniversary of the Shelby County v. Holder Supreme Court ruling. By 
declaring Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act unconstitutional, the 
Supreme Court dismantled a key provision to this pivotal voting rights 
protection. The importance of the Voting Rights Act to our American 
democracy cannot be overstated. This damaging precedent, set by the 
nation's highest Court has weakened a piece of legislation that was 
fundamental to the advancement of the American democracy.
  On June 25, 2013, when the Supreme Court decided that states with a 
history of discrimination against minority voters no longer needed 
clearance from the federal government to set new voting restrictions, 
it established a pathway for modern day discriminatory practices. Under 
this ruling, states across the Deep South, where vestiges of 
discrimination are still present, were able to enact stricter voting 
requirements for the first time since 1965.
  Many of these states, including my home state of Texas, are governed 
by Republican-led state legislatures that insist on the necessity of 
voter ID laws to protect the integrity of elections. However, Mr. 
Speaker, it is quite clear that these laws, which disproportionately 
affect African-Americans, Hispanics and poor people, are a political 
ploy to suppress voter turnout. This runs counter to the Constitutional 
right to vote, which is the cornerstone of our democracy.
  Recently, as a result of the Shelby County v. Holder ruling, Texas 
implemented restrictive voter ID laws that prohibit voting autonomy for 
many underserved minorities across the state. During the 2014 election, 
instead of being granted the opportunity to cast their vote of choice, 
many voters were turned away on the basis of technicalities.
  Mr. Speaker, I cannot fathom how these actions would be permissible 
among any group of lawmakers. Today, I stand before you to call 
attention to this fact. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was implemented 
to ensure that all Americans have the ability to exercise their right 
to vote. This body should act in a bi-partisan fashion to ensure that 
this right is fully restored.

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