WASHINGTON, D.C. – Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, issued the following statement following the introduction of theFor the People Act, H.R. 1:
“Repairing the breaks in our democracy is the most appropriate place for a new Congress to turn attention. Recent elections in our country make clear that voter suppression is rampant, that money has an undue influence on politics, and that too many voters face barriers when seeking to access the ballot box. H.R. 1 sounds an alarm about the long, overdue steps that must be taken now to restore the integrity and health of our democracy.
“As Congress considers H.R. 1, we urge Members to turn equal attention to the need to restore the Voting Rights Act. In 2013, the Supreme Court cut out the heart of the VRA and put the ball in Congress’s court to take legislative action to restore the legislation. On the eve of the 2020 redistricting cycle and the 2020 election season, Congress must make restoration of the Voting Rights Act a top priority.”
The comprehensive legislative package includes provisions aimed at improving access to the ballot box, enhancing integrity of the electoral process; establishing transparency in how campaigns are financed; and providing a framework for ethical governance.
About the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to involve the private bar in providing legal services to address racial discrimination. Now in its 56th year, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is continuing its quest to “Move America Toward Justice.” The principal mission of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is to secure, through the rule of law, equal justice for all, particularly in the areas of criminal justice, fair housing and community development, economic justice, educational opportunities, and voting rights.
Contact
Derrick Robinson, Lawyers’ Committee, DRobinson@LawyersCommittee.org, 202-662-8317
