Press Releases

STAND UP AMERICA JOINS HOUSE DEMOCRATS FOR REINTRODUCTION OF CRITICAL VOTING RIGHTS BILL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
SEPTEMBER 19, 2023 

PRESS CONTACT:
Sarah Harris, [email protected]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL) led the entire House Democratic Caucus in reintroducing the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, legislation to restore and strengthen the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act (VRA). For 50 years, the VRA stood as a pillar protecting communities from anti-voter and discriminatory voting laws until the Supreme Court gutted the VRA in 2013, with Shelby County v. Holder. Since then, millions of voters have been purged from the rolls, strict voter ID laws have been enacted in many states, and thousands of voting locations have been closed. So far this year, state legislatures across the country have introduced nearly 400 bills restricting voter access.

Stand Up America Executive Director Christina Harvey, who will join the bill sponsors at the U.S. Capitol today, commented on the reintroduction:

“Across the country, our democracy faces a relentless barrage of attacks by anti-democratic politicians trying to restrict the freedom to vote and gain the upper hand in our elections. The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act offers a necessary and resolute response to these assaults. It sends a powerful message that access to the ballot box should be unassailable and that every American’s vote should be counted.

“Stand Up America applauds Congresswoman Sewell and House Democrats for reaffirming their commitment to the bedrock of our democracy: our freedom to vote.”

Stand Up America’s nearly 2 million members across the country have driven over 100,000 constituent calls and 112,000 emails to Congress and submitted over 20,000 letters to the editors of local newspapers in the fight to pass federal voting rights legislation.

To speak with a Stand Up America representative about their work to pass federal voting rights, please don’t hesitate to reach out to [email protected].

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About Stand Up America
Stand Up America is a progressive advocacy organization with nearly two million community members across the country. Focused on grassroots advocacy to stand up to corruption and voter suppression and build a more representative democracy, Stand Up America has driven over 1.7 million calls to lawmakers, registered over 100,000 voters, mobilized thousands of protestors, and contacted tens of millions of voters.

Website: StandUpAmerica.com
Twitter: @StandUpAmerica
Instagram: @StandUp_America
Facebook: @StandUpAmerica