Senate Leaders and Civil Rights Advocates Unite to Reinforce Voting Protections

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia In a press briefing on Thursday, February 29, Senate leaders, alongside civil rights advocates, announced the reintroduction of S.4, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, aimed at safeguarding voting rights and fortifying the nation’s democratic foundations. According to U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on March 12 to discuss the growing threats to voting rights and the need for federal voting safeguards. The leaders said as the nation reflects on the sacrifices of civil rights champions like the late Rep. John Lewis, the call resounds for every member of Congress to endorse pivotal democracy bills, including the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, the Freedom to Vote Act, and the Native American Voting Rights Act, ahead of the 59th anniversary of Bloody Sunday on March 7. “This year’s presidential election will be the first since Republican-led state legislatures passed a wave of restrictive voting laws,” Durbin remarked. “As members of Congress, we have an obligation to defend our democracy against these attacks on our fundamental right to vote.” Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York emphasized what he...