LAX Leader

WASHINGTON, DC - On June 23, 2023, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) released the following statement ahead of the 10th anniversary of Shelby County v. Holder on June 25, which gutted key protections awarded by the Voting Rights Act of 1965:

“Ten years ago, the Supreme Court ruled against democracy with the corrupt Shelby County v. Holder decision. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 secured the right to vote for Black Americans, many of whom fought with great courage and sacrifice to access the ballot box. This decision struck down pre-clearance, the heart of the Voting Rights Act, and opened the floodgates for rampant voter suppression, discrimination, and disenfranchisement – especially in states that were already advancing racist political agendas to keep Black voters from the polls.

“The Court may have declared voting discrimination as an issue of the past, but this could not be further from the truth. Sixty years since the landmark Voting Rights Act, vulnerable communities are still fighting for a fuller democracy, which begins with the right to vote. Time and time again, we have seen how Black voters are always impacted more by voter suppression tactics such as gerrymandering, strict voter ID laws, and inaccessible polling locations. We cannot stop fighting until we remedy this devastation to our democracy.

“We must pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to reinstate the essential protections overturned in the Shelby decision and uphold our fragile democracy through free and fair elections. It is not enough to commemorate brother John Lewis' life with a stamp but refuse to act on his life legacy in Congress. It is offensive, plain and simple.

"As we continue to face extremist attacks on our democracy, I will never stop advocating for our right to be heard.”

Original source can be found here.