On the recordJuly 23, 2015
On August 6, just a few days from now, America will have the privilege of celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, with the sadness to know that that Voting Rights Act has been gutted by the United States Supreme Court with instructions for this Congress to respond to the rights of Americans to vote. I am very proud of the words that Justice Ginsburg said: It is common sense that, if polio is on the demise, why get rid of the polio vaccination. Voting prohibitions and prohibiting people from voting has decreased over the decades, but it has because of the Voting Rights Act. Frankly, we are doing a great disservice. When there are rebel flags being flown to show racial divide or monuments that represent very dire comments about those who are slaves, it looks as if this Congress could bring a voting rights legislation to be voted on for all Americans to be able to vote. What a sad state of affairs when we cannot have a real vote on the floor of the House to reauthorize the Voting Rights Act, which many of us have worked on even from the last Congress. I finally conclude by saying on this floor will be a bill dealing with what we call sanctuary cities, taking advantage of an enormous tragedy of which I offer my deepest sympathy. The National League of Cities, the Fraternal Order of Police, and the national Major County Sheriffs' Association are saying that the bill dealing with sanctuary cities is misguided.…
