Abrams: “The proliferation of state anti-voting laws across the country demonstrates the urgent need for Congress… to strengthen and protect voting rights.”
ATLANTA — Today, Fair Fight Action Founder Stacey Abrams testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the threats facing voting rights and the importance of passing the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to combat attacks on the right to vote.
From her testimony:
“…The proliferation of state anti-voting laws across the country demonstrates the urgent need for Congress to bring the VRA’s preclearance formula into the modern era, to reinstate federal oversight over discriminatory voting practices, and to strengthen and protect voting rights – wherever suppression occurs….”
“…Throughout its history, Georgia has been among the worst actors in systematically suppressing the ability of its communities of color to exercise their fundamental right to vote. Under preclearance, the Department of Justice objected to 170 discriminatory voting changes in Georgia at the state and local level…”
“…Georgia voters are now anticipating the deleterious effects on elections created by Senate Bill 202, which relies on misinformation, proven falsehoods and flawed analysis to restrict access for voters, primarily targeting the behaviors of communities of color…”
“…Across the country, this resurgence of Jim Crow-style voter discrimination is targeting voters of color by restricting access to the ballot for Black, Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and Native American communities…”
“…When the fundamental right to vote is left to the political ambitions and prejudices of state actors, ones who rely on suppression to maintain power, federal intercession stands as the appropriate remedy. These and other states’ current fights against suppressive voting laws demonstrate why the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act is essential to the protection of democracy.”
Read Abrams’ full testimony here.
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