[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 13022]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      VOTER EMPOWERMENT ACT AND THE VOTING RIGHTS ADVANCEMENT ACT

  (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, August 6 will mark the 50th anniversary of 
the Voting Rights Act. It has stood for a half a century as the great 
guardian of America's right to vote.
  However, 2 years ago the Supreme Court dismantled key protections 
within the act. Making matters worse since, Republicans in Congress 
have refused to restore the protections and bring up a renewed and 
strengthened Voting Rights Act.
  Today the right to vote is under coordinated attack around the 
country. States and localities are passing laws that restrict the right 
to vote, making it harder for young people, disabled Americans, and 
people of color to participate in our democracy.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be a cosponsor of the Voter Empowerment 
Act and the Voting Rights Advancement Act. I call on my Republican 
colleagues to join Democrats and pass a renewed, strengthened VRA and 
ensure the ballot box belongs to every American.

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