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Nicole Y. Williams or Staci Cox

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Washington, D.C. – Today Congresswoman Gwen Moore (WI-4) released this statement as the Supreme Court begins arguments on Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. 

 

“Today the Supreme Court will consider one of the most important aspects of our democracy, the right for many Americans to have equal and fair access to the election process. The Voting Rights Act is deeply rooted in the height of our country’s civil rights movements, and Section 5 remains a powerful and necessary tool to curb discriminatory election practices by covered states and localities. In this past election cycle, we have seen a return to the same old discriminatory practices, with over 37 states introducing voting changes since 2012, that could negatively impact voters. Section 5 has kept several of these pernicious laws off the books, and the record for its continued need is abundantly clear.   

 

“I associate myself with the comments of my Wisconsin colleague Rep. Sensenbrenner, sponsor of the 2006 reauthorization and then-chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, when he said, ‘the Voting Rights Act must continue to exist.’ I was proud to have voted for that reauthorization, which passed by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 390-33 in the House and 98-0 in the Senate.  

 

“With the expansion of civil rights over the past 50 years, we have an obligation as a country to fight against efforts that seek to take us backwards. I urge the Supreme Court to uphold this historic, bipartisan and fundamental part of our great nation.”  

 

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