Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) released the following statement after the introduction of S.4, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, in the U.S. Senate. The bill was introduced by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.).

“I’m thrilled to see the Senate move forward with the introduction of S.4, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. I would like to thank Senator Leahy, Senator Durbin, and the 48 Democratic Senators who are original cosponsors of the legislation to restore full protections of the Voting Rights Act in the Senate.

“The right to vote is at the core of our democracy and should never be a partisan issue. I would remind Senators that the last reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act passed unanimously in the Senate in 2006 before being signed by Republican President George W. Bush. It’s time to draw on that same spirit of bipartisanship to protect the precious right to vote for generations to come. However, in the absence of robust Republican support, Democratic Senators must use every tool at their disposal to pass S.4 and ensure it lands on the desk of President Joe Biden.

“If ever there was a reason to reform the filibuster, it should be to protect our most fundamental right as American citizens, the right to vote. Our very democracy is at stake, and we must not let a procedural rule stand in our way.”

Rep. Sewell introduced the House version of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, H.R. 4, on August 17, 2021. It passed the House one week later on August 24. The bill would restore the full protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which were gutted by the Supreme Court in its 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision. As states across the country mount the most coordinated effort to restrict the right to vote in generations, the bill would restore federal oversight and would provide an updated formula for determining which jurisdictions must obtain pre-clearance from the Department of Justice prior to changing their voting laws.