National Urban League President Sends Letter to Senate in Support of Freedom to Vote Act
National Urban League President Sends Letter to the Senate in Support of the Freedom to Vote Act: John R. Lewis Act; Urges Senate to Vote ‘Yes’
Washington, D.C. (January 18, 2022) – Today, National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial issued the following statement in support of the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act:
“This morning, the National Urban League sent a letter to the Senate in support the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act, which is being considered this week. We are at a crossroads in our nation’s history. Our democracy is on the line, and every Senator must account for his or her actions in this moment. Will you stand up for America and protect the right to vote for all citizens? Or will you side with those seeking to prevent citizens from voting for partisan or racist reasons? Will you hide behind arcane Senate rules and allow the filibuster to be used yet again to block civil rights? Or will you stand with those who understand that no procedural rule is more important than preserving our democracy?
“We are asking, ‘which side are you on?’ The eyes of history are upon you.
“We do not approach these issues with a partisan lens. Every Senator, regardless of party, has a duty to protect the right to vote for all citizens. Indeed, the Constitution demands it.
“We urge each Senator to give the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act full consideration, consult his or her conscience, and vote “yes” on all votes that would ensure the legislation’s passage.”
To read the full letter, read below:
Dear Senator,
On behalf of the National Urban League’s 91 affiliates in 37 states and the District of Columbia, we are writing to express our strong support for the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 5746, the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act, as it is being considered on the Senate floor this week. As a historic civil rights organization dedicated to ensuring all people are able to exercise their fundamental right to vote, we stand with advocates in the civil rights, disability rights, and labor communities and the vast majority of Americans in encouraging each Senator to vote “yes” on the cloture motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 5746. Indeed, we encourage support for all future votes that would allow for the passage of the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act.
The Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act will ensure that voters regardless of where they live can safely and freely cast their ballots, protect against election sabotage, stop partisan gerrymandering, and limit the influence of dark money in politics. In 2021 alone, 19 states enacted 34 laws that will make it more difficult to vote and that will have the effect of suppressing the vote in vulnerable communities. In addition, states are pursuing manipulative redistricting efforts which discriminate against and dilute the representation of voters of color, including African Americans and Latinos. With each day, more and more of these cynical efforts take root in our nation’s democracy and so time is of the essence to prevent irreparable damage to the franchise in advance of the next election. This legislation would fight back against these attacks and ensure the ability of every American to participate in safe, accessible, and transparent elections.
We do not approach these issues with a partisan lens. We believe that every Senator, regardless of party, has a duty to protect the right to vote for all citizens. Indeed, the Constitution grants Congress this authority.
Given the importance of this legislation in protecting the constitutional rights of all voters, we urge each Senator to give the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act full consideration, consult his or her conscience, and vote “yes” on all votes that would ensure the legislation’s passage, including this week’s cloture vote and any necessary Senate rule changes.
For more information on voting rights violations happening in our nation, please contact Yvette Badu-Nimako, Senior Director for Judiciary, Civil Rights and Social Justice at ybadu@nul.org.
Sincerely,
Marc H. Morial
President and Chief Executive Officer
National Urban League
Joi O. Chaney
Executive Director, Washington Bureau
Senior Vice President, Policy & Advocacy
National Urban League