WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL-07) released the following statement regarding the Congressional Briefing on Voter Suppression:

“We cannot accept the refusal of the Republican Party to vote in favor of the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015. As the 2016 Presidential Election draws near, more states are suppressing the vote of eligible voters under the guise of circumventing voter fraud.

“When the Supreme Court struck down Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act, it was not an invalidation of the legislation; it was a charge to Congress to revisit and reconstruct the formula that prevents bias and discrimination in the voting process. It is important to recognize the creation of modern day barriers to the ballot box as a key factor in a deliberate formula to diminish the presence of minority and young voters in the 2016 Presidential election. We must remain ever vigilant in our quest to restore the sacred, most precious right bestowed upon American citizens, the right to vote.

“I am ecstatic to join all my Congressional colleagues and stakeholder groups in taking on the fight to ensure that every eligible voice in America is able to be heard in the democratic process. I am thankful to Barbara Arnwine of the Transformative Justice Coalition, as well as the National Election Defense Coalition, for creating a platform for this issue to be amplified to those who might not understand the severity of participating in an election without full protection of the law. All who believe in our great democracy should fight to ensure a fair and inclusive election process.”

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