Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5746, the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act. As President Biden made clear in his speech in Atlanta on Tuesday, the time to act to protect the right to vote and the very essence of our democracy is now. The bill we are considering today meets the gravity of this moment. H.R. 5746, Mr. Speaker, combines two pieces of legislation vital to ensuring every American has free, equitable, and secure access to the ballot: The Freedom to Vote Act and the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, the latter of which critically also includes the Native American Voting Rights Act. Together, Mr. Speaker, these bills will combat the wave of voter suppression laws we saw enacted in States across the country following the Supreme Court's decision in Shelby County v. Holder, a decision that undermined the essential preclearance protections of the Voting Rights Act, which accelerated at an alarming rate following the unprecedented voter turnout in the 2020 elections. Rather than responding to increased voter participation with welcoming arms and provoter policies, States have instead been enacting laws that roll back access and aim to erect roadblocks to the ballot box.…”