Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman, Congresswoman Sewell, for organizing this very important Special Order hour today to talk about something that is really timely, especially with elections coming up. I want to be able to stand here today with my colleagues to bring awareness to the injustice--the injustices really--that are oppressing the most vulnerable members of our democracy. I want to start with some history from the 1960s, and then some more recent history. As you know, in 1965, the Voting Rights Act sought to ensure that voters would never again face intimidation or unnecessary obstacles in exercising their right to vote as American citizens. But in 2013, Shelby County v. Holder gutted the 1965 Voting Rights Act and set in motion what many feared: the subjection of minorities, seniors, and low-income Americans to unfair, punitive barriers that make it hard for them to vote--make it hard for people to exercise their very basic right as an American citizen. As a native of Texas representing the Dallas and Fort Worth area, I have seen firsthand the effects of these suppressive laws that have been put in place in 33 States since the Supreme Court issued in Shelby County v. Holder. Some of the tactics in Texas that were used--and you heard Representative Sewell talk about it a little bit earlier.…”