Washington, D.C. – Today, the National Urban League released the 2017 edition of its annual State of Black America report. This year’s report, “Protect Our Progress,” examines the state of job creation, living wages, voting rights, criminal justice reform, education, health care, financial literacy, and threats to progress in those areas. Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell (D-AL) authored the voting rights section of the report.

Read Rep. Sewell’s Voting Rights Report in the 2017 State of Black America.

“While minority voters no longer face literacy tests or have to guess how many marbles are in a jar when they register to vote, there are new strategies for disenfranchising black and brown communities,” said Rep. Sewell. “The impact of new voter ID laws and other barriers to the polls cannot be overestimated. I am honored to report on the state of voting rights in this year’s State of Black America because nothing more fundamental could be at stake than our right to fully participate in our democracy.”

Rep. Sewell is the sponsor of the Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA), a bill which would restore the Voting Rights Act (VRA) following the Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby County v. Holder. Rep. Sewell is also Vice Chair of the Congressional Voting Rights Caucus, which works to educate the public on voter suppression tactics, inform constituencies on their rights as voters, and create and advance legislation that blocks current and future suppressive and discriminatory tactics that deny American citizens the right to vote.

View the full 2017 State of Black America Report from the National Urban League.

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Rep. Terri A. Sewell (D-AL) is serving her fourth term representing Alabama’s 7th Congressional district. She sits on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and was recently appointed to the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. Sewell is a Chief Deputy Whip and serves on the prestigious Steering and Policy Committee of the Democratic Caucus. She is also a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, and serves as Vice Chair of the Congressional Voting Rights Caucus, and Vice Chair of Outreach for the New Democrat Coalition.