Congressman Smith Commemorates the 52nd Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act

“On the 52nd anniversary of the Voting Rights Act (VRA), we celebrate one of our country’s most important civil rights laws. As we remember this landmark legislation, we must also denounce the Supreme Court’s 2013 Shelby County v. Holder ruling. This decision gutted portions of the VRA, allowing states with a history of voter discrimination the autonomy to re-implement discriminatory voting restrictions. In response to the Shelby v. Holder case, I have cosponsored the Voting Rights Advancement Act. This legislation will institute protections to combat voter discrimination across the country, responds to the rise in modern-day voter disenfranchisement, and helps restore the critical protections of the VRA.

“Suppressing voting rights is an outrageous attack on the foundation of democracy. As a member of the Congressional Voting Rights Caucus, I am committed to safeguarding the fundamental right to vote. Congress has a responsibility to protect this constitutional right, and we must do more to ensure all Americans have their voices heard at the ballot box.”