? ? ? ? ? Dear Friend,

On Monday, many of our nation's leaders observed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day with statements and social media posts that lauded Dr. King's lifelong work to fight for justice and equity, including his work to promote and protect civil rights for all people, especially Black people, whose rights remain an unfulfilled promise rather than a delivered guarantee.

Yet, many of these same leaders ? including all 212 GOP members of the House who voted against multiple bills [link removed] that would expand ballot access and ensure free and fair elections for all, and all 50 GOP Senators who utilized the arcane and undemocratic filibuster rule yesterday to block passage of the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act [link removed] ? stand firmly in the way of the progress that Dr. King fought for.
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To this day, Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and other people of color ? as well as young people and people with disabilities ? continue to be denied full access to the ballot because partisan politicians brazenly gerrymander districts to weaken the power of communities and pass state laws that suppress voting rights and subvert our core election systems.

The communities that are most often targeted by voter suppression efforts are the same communities who bear the burden of environmental harms affecting our air, water, and climate. That is why LCV's fight for voting rights and democracy reforms is stronger than ever. [link removed]

For years, LCV, through our Democracy for All program [link removed], has been working for voting rights and democracy reforms because we cannot have a healthy environment without a healthy democracy. But in the face of increasingly dangerous efforts to chip away at the foundation of our democracy ? including 19 states recently enacting anti-voting bills into law [link removed] ? LCV made the important decision to elevate democracy work and voting rights as a stand-alone goal in our four-year strategic plan for the first time in the organization's history.

Over the last year, LCV has advocated [link removed] and organized [link removed] for Congress to pass the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act, the Protecting Our Democracy Act, and the Washington D.C. Admission Act by any procedural means necessary. And we will continue to advocate for free and fair elections until everyone in this country is able to have their voices heard equally.

LCV is so committed to ensuring equal access to the ballot for all that we recently joined a group of major election and advocacy organizations who will only consider endorsements1 for Senators who take all necessary measures to pass the key voting rights [link removed] and pro-democracy measures currently being debated in Congress. Our unprecedented decision to require support of a non-environmental bill in order to be considered for endorsement underscores the historic stakes of the moment we are in.

Now, after the Senate's failed votes on rules reform and the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act, we need your help to continue to demand that Congress take action to protect democracy. (PETITION) [link removed]

The majority of people in this country overwhelmingly [link removed] support protecting our democracy and want [link removed] to see bold action on climate change. But we cannot do either without first ensuring that everyone, especially those most affected by climate change and environmental harm, has equal access to the ballot.

As always, thank you for your continued partnership in our work to secure a healthier, safer, more just future for all.

Onward,

Gene Karpinski
President
League of Conservation Voters

P.S. Please take a moment to sign our petition asking our leaders to do more than quote Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and to live those words by passing legislation [link removed] that allows all people to participate freely and equitably in our democracy, as is necessary to address climate change, protect our communities, and deliver environmental justice. ? ? ? ? ? 1. Endorsements are considered by LCV's affiliated political action committee, LCV Action Fund.
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