Nationwide Civil Rights Organizations Challenge Assertion Following U.S. Senate Failure to Take up Vital Voter Rights Laws

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Don Owens, Legal Committee, [email protected], (202) 934-1880
Juan Martinez, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, [email protected], (212) 956-2200
Rafael Medina, The Leadership Conference, [email protected], (202) 869-0390
Teresa Fairness, National Urban League; [email protected], (212) 558-5362
Angelo Greco, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation / Black Women Roundtable, [email protected], (917) 499-2688
Rachel Nördlinger, National Action Network, [email protected], (347) 821-9678
Marc Banks, NAACP, [email protected], (404) 849-3189

Washington, DC (June 23, 2021) – The Senate made no progress yesterday S. 1. The law for the people to a plenary debate. In doing so, it failed to protect the most fundamental principle of our democracy – the right to vote. This legislation is not a partisan matter – it is an American matter. The law for the people would protect the coveted right of the citizens of this nation to have a voice in our democracy.

Since the November 2020 election, 48 state legislatures across the country have proposed or passed hundreds of laws against voters aimed at thwarting the electoral process and making it difficult for all voters, especially those of color, to vote freely , safe and equal. The Act for the people would act as a counterbalance to these restrictive state laws by protecting and expanding access to the right to vote for millions of people who are deprived of their right to vote.

As more state and local jurisdictions propose and pass anti-electoral laws, the need for federal intervention couldn’t be more urgent. We stand firm on our commitment to calling for Senate law to be passed to protect voters from partisan barriers to the ballot box and to ensure their participation in American democracy.

The Senate needs to pass a strong one For the People’s Law Enforce critical electoral reforms, including removing registration hurdles, expanding early voting and postal voting, limiting the impact of voter identification requirements, ensuring timely notification of polling station changes, and protecting against discriminatory deletion of electoral rolls.

If the Senate cannot pass the national voting rights protection with 60 votes, we ask it to reform the filibuster and the For the people Act by a simple majority. Our nation desperately needs this suffrage legislation because our democracy is at stake.

This declaration was co-authored by:

Melanie Campbell, President and CEO, The National Coalition for Black Citizenship Participation

Damon Hewitt, President and CEO, Civil Rights Advocate Committee under the law

Sherrilyn Ifill, President and Director-Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF)

Wade Henderson, Interim President and CEO, The leadership conference for civil and human rights

Johnetta Betsch Cole, Ph.D., National Chairperson and President, National Council of Negro Women

Marc Morial, President and CEO, National City League

Rev. Al Sharpton, Founder and President, National Action Network

Derrick Johnson, President and CEO, NAACP

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