Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–August 6, 2015. Today, Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth released the following statement on the 50th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965:
“The 50th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is an important time to reflect on the revolutionary impact of this sweeping civil rights law. This landmark legislation not only had an immediate impact in empowering nearly 1 million African-Americans to register to vote within four years of enactment, but it also laid the groundwork for enhancing the voting rights of all Americans.
As we celebrate the VRA’s 50th Anniversary, our nation must also resist growing complacent with the enduring success of prior Congresses. As the Roberts Court demonstrated in striking down major provisions of the VRA in 2013, if we are not vigilant in preserving American voting rights, future Courts and Congresses threaten to completely dismantle the VRA and reverse five decades’ worth of progress.
Congress and the Supreme Court should not be in the business of taking Americans’ fundamental rights away. The freedom to vote is the foundation that makes our country great. I dedicated my career to fighting to preserve these American freedoms, and I refuse to stand idly by as partisan interests work to undermine them from within. I look forward to preserving and restoring voting rights for all Americans.”
Source: www.duckworth.house.gov
