Democratic Women’s Caucus Applauds House Passage of John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act

Washington, DC, August 24, 2021

CONTACT: Michelle Moreno-Silva

Today, Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC) Co-Chairs Congresswomen Jackie Speier (CA-14), Lois Frankel (FL-21), and Brenda Lawrence (MI-14), and Vice Chairs Congresswomen Veronica Escobar (TX-16) and Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) issued the following statement on the House of Representatives passage of H.R. 4, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, introduced by DWC member Congresswoman Terri Sewell (AL-7).
“This month marks 101 years since the 19th Amendment was ratified, granting women the right to vote and marking a critical step in the fight for political equality. More than a century later, however, barriers continue to limit their access to the ballot box and systematically disenfranchise women of color,” said DWC Leadership. “In recent years, many state legislatures have actively sought to curtail voting rights, particularly for communities of color. The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act will help safeguard the integrity of our democracy by ensuring that all voters—including all women—can meaningfully cast their votes and make their voices heard. As we applaud the House passage of this bill, we urge the Senate to take up this critical legislation.”
“Today, the House took an important step in our continued struggle to keep the promise of our democracy alive for all Americans,” said Congresswoman Sewell. “With the passage of H.R. 4, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, we’re preserving and advancing the legacy of those brave Foot Soldiers like John Lewis who shed blood on that bridge for the right of all Americans to vote. I’m so proud that this bill enjoys the full support of the Democratic Women’s Caucus. As states and localities erect deliberate barriers to the ballot box, we must ensure that women of all backgrounds can cast their votes freely and fairly.”
The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would strengthen the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) in response to the Supreme Court’s 2013 decision in Shelby County v. Holder, which effectively gutted the Act’s preclearance provision. That provision required states and localities with a history of voting discrimination to submit to the Department of Justice any proposed changes to their voting rules for approval before those changes could take effect. In Shelby County, the Court struck down the VRA’s coverage formula that determined which states and localities should be subject to the preclearance requirement, and invited Congress to develop a new formula. H.R. 4 passed the House of Representatives on August 24, 2021, by a vote of 219 to 212 and is now being sent to the Senate for consideration.
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