56 years ago this month, President Lyndon Johnson signed the landmark Voting Rights Act into law.

• For nearly half a century, that historic legislation — which Congress renewed many times on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis — made it possible to move toward true multiracial democracy in our country.

• But in 2013, the Supreme Court gutted a key provision of the Voting Rights Act — with Chief Justice John Roberts ruling, incredibly, that racial discrimination in voting is a thing of the past.

• Then, earlier this year, Republicans on the Supreme Court severely weakened another provision of the law.

• Now — emboldened by these undemocratic Supreme Court rulings — Republican legislators and governors in state after state are rushing to make it harder for people of color to vote.

What’s unfolding is nothing less than a blatantly racist plot to block people of color from voting, with the express intent to tilt elections in favor of Republican candidates.

A bill just introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives — the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act — would restore key parts of the Voting Rights Act.

Add your name now to urge your member of Congress to support the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

Thanks for taking action.

For democracy,

- Robert Weissman, President of Public Citizen

P.S. For half a century, Public Citizen has been advancing policies that put the needs of everyday Americans before the greed of billionaires and Big Business. That legacy of progress and that ongoing work could not matter more right now, as our nation transitions to a Joe Biden presidency that will be as progressive as we — you and Public Citizen, together — make it. We’re also busy undoing all the damage Trump did. And, like so many nonprofits and small businesses, we continue to experience financial strain related to the coronavirus pandemic. If you can, please make an emergency donation today to support the critical work we’re doing together or even join our popular Monthly Giving program. Thank you.
 
 
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