Today marks the 4-year anniversary of the passing of civil rights icon and House Democratic Sr. Chief Deputy Whip John Lewis.
My late colleague is best known for his leadership in the civil rights movement and his brave actions to end legalized racial segregation in the United States, specifically leading the first march from Selma to Montgomery where state troopers and police attacked Congressman Lewis and the other marchers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
From the 1963 March on Washington, to sit-ins and the Freedom Rides, to the halls of Congress — Congressman Lewis was known for stirring up his trademark "good trouble" for the betterment of our society.
Folks have tried to capture the breadth and depth of his legacy through books and films, but the magnitude of his impact is beyond measure. The best I can hope to do is carry on a portion of that work in Congress.
Like Congressman Lewis, I am committed to protecting the right to vote and defending our democratic institutions, values, and norms. I have proudly voted for landmark legislation to end partisan gerrymandering, require disclosure of dark money, expand opportunities to vote, and restore voting rights protections. If we can reclaim a majority in Congress, I look forward to achieving these voting rights objectives by passing the legislation that bears his name: the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. The Act would:
- Establish a formula that requires jurisdictions with a recent history of voter discrimination to seek approval from the U.S. Department of Justice before making changes to their voting laws
- Allow courts to immediately halt questionable voting practices pending a final ruling
- Provide the Attorney General the ability to request observers be present anywhere discriminatory voting practices pose a serious threat
- Increase transparency by requiring a public notice for changes to voting
- Help people seek justice for voting rights violations ahead of an election
- Create a grant funding program to help smaller jurisdictions comply with the legislation's new requirements
This legislation is more critical than ever.
In the years since his passing, extremist Republicans have been hard at work eroding our basic democratic rights. More often than not, their efforts seek to undermine the voices of people in traditionally marginalized communities . Their unrelenting assaults on our democracy are disheartening, but after each blow, I have redoubled my commitment to ensuring every eligible voter's voice is heard. Together, we can restore our democracy.
To John Lewis, his memory, and all that he fought for.
Rick
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