Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Terri Sewell applauded the Supreme Court’s ruling in Alabama Legislative Black Caucus v. Alabama, saying that Alabama’s redistricting plan unfairly diluted the impact of black voters.

“Fifty years ago today, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke from the steps of the Alabama Capitol to appeal to the conscience of our nation and to seek the right to vote for all Americans. Today’s ruling by the Supreme Court honors King’s legacy by rejecting a discriminatory redistricting plan that denied black voters equal representation.

“By condensing black voters in large geographic districts, the State of Alabama unfairly diluted their influence in other parts of the state. Redistricting should never be used as a political tool that silences parts of our electorate. Our nation was made great by the fundamental belief that every citizen is entitled to the right to vote, and any attempt to circumvent that principle strikes at the heart of our democracy.

“This case further highlights the need to restore Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, and ensure that the State of Alabama is included under the new coverage formula.  The struggle to ensure that all Americans have equal access to the ballot box continues, and I urge my colleagues in Congress to work together to reinstate the federal voter protections afforded by the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965.”