House approves John Lewis voting rights measure

The House on Tuesday approved John R. Lewis’s Advancement of Voting Rights Act in a party line vote, sending the bill back to the Senate – where it has a better chance of passing.

The bill passed 219-212, with no Republican voting in favor.

“Nothing is more fundamental to our democracy than the right to vote. representing Terri SewellTerri Americans stay in Afghanistan (D-Ala.), One of the bill’s main sponsors, said from the room during debate on the bill.

“It was in my district that ordinary Americans peacefully protested for equal suffrage for all Americans,” Sewell noted, referring to the struggle of the late Lewis and other civil rights activists on the Edmund Bridge Pettus 56 years ago.

In March 1965, 26-year-old Lewis and his company were brutally beaten by state and local police during what is now known as Bloody Sunday.

Lewis’ skull was fractured by brutality, and footage from Bloody Sunday was viewed by viewers across the country, becoming a major flashpoint in US history.

Five months after the attack, then President Lyndon B. Johnson enacted the Voting Rights Act (VRA).

Lewis passed away last summer after representing a Georgia district for more than 30 years in the House.

“All battles have indeed become new again,” Sewell continued.

“While literacy tests and the voting tax no longer exist, some states and local jurisdictions have passed laws that are modern barriers to voting. So as long as voter suppression exists, the need for comprehensive VRA protections will continue, ”Sewell said.

The bill approved on Tuesday focuses on re-establishing federal preclearance originally instituted by the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which was eroded by a 2013 Supreme Court ruling.

Preclearance required states and jurisdictions with a history of racial discrimination – largely the Jim Crow South – to obtain Department of Justice approval before implementing any changes to the voting process.

In the landmark case of Shelby v. Holder, the Supreme Court ruled that the formula used to dictate the preclearance threshold was obsolete and therefore unconstitutional. However, at the time, Chief Justice John Roberts left the door open for Congress to draft an updated formula that would more accurately reflect the state of voting rights in the country.

The bill also includes a section 2 reminder of the VRA following a July ruling from the nation’s highest court that upheld a pair of voting restrictions in Arizona.

While Sections 4 and 5 describe preclearance, Section 2 prohibits states and other jurisdictions from performing voting procedures that discriminate against Americans on the basis of race, color, or affiliation. to a minority language group.

Voting rights are at the forefront of national political debate after last year’s elections, and a clear partisan divide has emerged on the once bipartisan issue.

Nearly 20 GOP-controlled states have passed at least 30 laws this year that restrict access to the ballot box in one form or another; in total, hundreds of voting restriction proposals have been submitted over the past eight months.

Republicans have presented the state’s measures as measures to end voter fraud, but opponents noted that voter fraud is relatively rare and that the measures are likely to depress the votes of majority Democratic voters, including minority groups.

Unsurprisingly, GOP members toast the Democratic bill.

“I hope my colleagues and the American people will see this bill for what it is: a partisan takeover, which bypasses the people to secure one-party rule,” the representative said. Rodney DavisRodney Lee Davis Partisan fight over vaccine mandates moves to House Up then in Culture Wars: Adding women to House Project rejects GOP efforts to seat McCarthy’s picks for Jan. 6 panel MORE (R-Ill.) Replied during the debate.

Some conservatives have decided to shift the conversation to Democrats’ management of Afghanistan, a situation that has forced the White House to play a major defense role.

“Thousands of Americans stranded in Afghanistan fearing for their lives, and Democrats focus on passing laws to ensure states can’t demand photo ID,” the representative said. . Jim jordanJames (Jim) Daniel Jordan Jan. 6 committee to search lawmakers’ files Patagonia stops providing inventory to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Jim Jordan requests documents from DHS as agency considers new social media monitoring MORE (R-Ohio) said.

Earlier in the afternoon, during the debate on the voting procedure, the President Nancy PelosiNancy Pelosi House Democrats launch key budget vote on Tuesday Pelosi is organizing a risky vote in the House to judge the 0.5T budget approved. Florida Democrat wants to vote on infrastructure first amid party tensions (D-Calif.) Said she hoped “there would be some level of bipartisanship” on the bill.

But any level of bipartisanship was unexpected given the poisoned relationship between Republicans and Democrats in the House, largely fueled by the Jan.6 riot on Capitol Hill and the votes of a majority of the House GOP conference after the attack to reject the results of presidential elections in some states.

In the Senate, Bill Lewis faces obstruction, meaning he will need 10 GOP Senators to support him to get through the chamber.

His. Lisa MurkowskiLisa Ann Murkowski With doomed minority, US Senate remains where bills die Overnight Energy: Judge blocks permits for Alaska oil project House Democrats introduce bill on the voting rights of John Lewis PLUS (Alaska), a centrist Republican, was an initial co-sponsor of a different version of the bill in the last session of Congress and issued a joint statement with the senator. Joe manchinJoe Manchin On the money: Pelosi and moderates address budget stalemate Republicans argue John Lewis’ vote bill violates principles of federalism and exceeds the power of Congress White House expresses support for the bill John Lewis PLUS Voting Rights Act (DW.Va.) in May urging bipartisan support for the measure, but the Senate Minority Leader Mitch mcconnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnell White House Raises Support for John Lewis’ Voting Rights Bill This Week: Biden Faces Crucial Moment on Capitol Hill Juan Williams: Biden Is Right About Afghanistan MORE (R-Ky.) Described HR 4 as “unnecessary”.

The bill is seen as having a better chance of moving forward than a larger measure on voting rights known as the People’s Law.

Either legislation could reach President BidenJoe Biden House Democrats hold key budget vote for Tuesday Biden envoy calls on North Korea to resume nuclear talks Biden to decide on extension of Afghan troop withdrawal in next 24 hours: MORE reportif the 50 Democrats agreed to make an exception to the filibuster, but Manchin and his centrist colleague Sen. Kyrsten CinemaKyrsten Sinema Republicans argue John Lewis’ vote bill violates principles of federalism and overtakes congressional power Manchin warns House Democrats against bipartisan delay on infrastructure bill A Progressive Path MORE (D-Arizona) are against any form of filibuster reform.