Friend,

Congressman John Lewis was a giant — a civil rights legend, a leader in the halls of Congress, and a moral voice for the whole nation. It is not enough to mourn his loss — no matter if we knew him personally or admired his activism from afar, each and every one of us must do our part to carry on his legacy by being bold and brave in times of challenge and struggle.

John Lewis made sacrifices while both marching in the streets and in the halls of power to secure the right to vote for many, facing extreme violence in his fight to make sure the original Voting Rights Act passed in 1965. Among John Lewis’ many achievements in recent years was his monumental role in helping guide and pass the Voting Rights Advancement Act in the House last year, which would restore key parts of the Voting Rights Act after a disastrous 2013 Supreme Court decision enabled a slew of voter suppression laws, including voter purges, ID requirements, poll closures, and limiting early voting hours.

Join me in demanding that the Senate carry on John Lewis’ legacy by immediately passing the Voting Rights Advancement Act.

John Lewis did not spill blood in Selma only for the Black vote to be suppressed at this critical moment in our nation’s history. He did not march alongside Martin Luther King Jr. to demand change only for the rights we’ve gained to be dismantled. We must act quickly and boldly by making sure his sacrifices were not in vain.

Will you join me in calling on the Senate to pass the Voting Rights Advancement Act right now?

We will never forget John Lewis or the good trouble he caused every day in his fight for justice and equality. May he rest in power as we continue to find ways to honor his work at every possible opportunity.

Ilhan Omar