There have always been efforts to restrict the right to vote.
Problems viewing this email? View it in your web browser.
Residents wait in long line to vote in a presidential primary election outside the Riverside High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on April 7, 2020
The Right to Vote Is in Peril
Yesterday marked the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, a landmark law that enfranchised millions of Americans, primarily Black Americans, who throughout much of our nation's history have been systematically denied access to the voting booth. Despite the progress made following the enactment of the Voting Rights Act, it's important to remain vigilant. There have always been efforts to restrict the right to vote, and with the 2013 Supreme Court decision in Shelby v. Holder, voter suppression tactics once again became easier to implement.

Now, less than three months away from a momentous presidential election, yet another layer of complexity has been added: the coronavirus pandemic. It is imperative that all levels of government recognize this threat and take steps to mitigate it. To ensure that voters can exercise their right to vote this fall, CAP recommends that states implement vote by mail, extend early voting, and hold in-person voting on Election Day that follows public health guidelines. In addition, congressional Republican leaders must stop blocking federal resources to fully fund state efforts.

You can help by telling Congress to prepare the country's election infrastructure so that all eligible Americans can fully participate in this year's election.

Read more CAP resources on voting rights »

In the Spotlight
Take Action: Save the 2020 Census
Take Action: Save the 2020 Census
While we need to address voting in 2020, we also need to ensure that future generations of voters are fairly represented too—and that's where this year's census count comes into play.

As of now, less than 65 percent of Americans have filled out the 2020 census. Yet, the Trump administration is pressuring the U.S. Census Bureau to stop the count a month early—time that the Census Bureau needs to continue its outreach efforts toward vulnerable communities.

Communities that are undercounted will be underresourced and underrepresented for the next 10 years. To protect their rights, we must make sure that the Trump administration does not politicize the census by cutting it short. Tell your senators to pass an extension for the Census Bureau so everyone can be counted this year.
TAKE ACTION

Major Stories This Week

People lay out on the grass while maintaining social-distancing guidelines in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Lessons on Containing the Coronavirus From the U.S. Northeast to Japan
The federal government's mismanagement and failure to act means means the United States can't manage the virus through testing and tracing alone.

The statue Contemplation of Justice stands on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court
The Need for Supreme Court Term Limits
The average tenure of a Supreme Court justice has significantly lengthened since the 1700s, giving outsize power to nine individuals in a way the framers of the Constitution could never have imagined.

A mother prepares her son for bed
Costly and Unavailable: Child Care for Infants and Toddlers
Even before the pandemic, families struggled to find high-quality, affordable child care. Now, those problems have been magnified.

Weapons are on display at a gun shop in Virginia, as gun and ammunition sales in the United States have skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Gun Industry Is an Overlooked Player in a National Crisis
Absent from the national conversation about gun violence is any mention of the industry responsible for putting guns into our communities in the first place.
COVID-19 Facts From CAP Experts

Housing is Health: Watch and share this video

The Trump administration just ended a regulation that ensures local governments comply with The Fair Housing Act.

Safe, accessible, and affordable housing is essential for health and economic security—especially during a global pandemic.

CAP's Alexandra Cawthorne Gaines explains why the administration's action is not only wrong, but downright cruel. Watch and share this video on Twitter »

[Related: Kicking Folks Out While They're Down]

Upcoming Events

August 12
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen Discusses the Diplomatic, Security, and Economic Challenges Facing Taiwan | RSVP

Dismantling Systemic Inequality and White Supremacy

USA Today
Voting Rights Act was John Lewis' life's work. 55 years later, minority voter suppression remains

Center for American Progress
Serving the Hardest Hit: Centering People with Disabilities in Emergency Planning and Response Efforts

CNBC
What to do if you're at risk of eviction now that the CARES Act moratorium has ended

Center for American Progress
A Phase 4 Coronavirus Relief Bill Must Include Protections for Undocumented Immigrants

Newsweek
Muslims Falsely Blamed for COVID-19 Spread as Hate Crimes Increase

ABC News
Reparations for slavery: Is Asheville a national model?

Center for American Progress
Resources on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

Support CAP | Manage Email Preferences | Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe
Center for American Progress | 1333 H Street NW, 10th Floor | Washington, D.C. xxxxxx
This email was sent to [email protected].