,,iii  #aag? ,,congress  #a/ ,session   
,s4 ,,res4 #dja  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!
 ,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,septemb] #cj1        
#bjba,mr4 ,wyd5 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,m>key1
 ,mr4 ,m]kley1 ,mr4 ,m55dez1 ,ms4       
,duckwor?1 ,ms4 ,cantwell1 ,mr4 ,re$1   
,mrs4 ,fe9/e91 ,ms4 ,hirono1 ,mr4       
,blum5?al1 ,mr4 ,c>d91 ,ms4 ,cortez     
,ma/o1 ,mr4 ,book]1 ,ms4 ,smi?1 ,mr4    
,br[n1 ,mr4 ,k+1 ,mr4 ,durb91 ,ms4      
,klobu*>1 ,mr4 ,b5net1 ,mr4 ,w>n]1 ,mr4 
,c>p]1 ,mr4 ,he9ri*1 ,mr4 ,ka9e1 & ,mr4 
,van ,holl57 submitt$ ! foll[+          
resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee
 on ! ,judici>y  ,,resolution           
,designat+ ,septemb] #bjba z ,national  
,vot+ ,rights ,mon?4  ,:]eas vot+ is "o 
( ! s+le mo/ important rights t c be    
ex]cis$ 9 a democracy2 ,:]eas1 ov] !    
c\rse ( hi/ory1 v>i\s vot] suppression  
laws 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates h h9d]$1 & ev5   
prohibit$1 c]ta9 individuals & gr\ps f  
ex]cis+ ! "r to vote2 ,:]eas1 dur+ !    
#ai? & e>ly #bj? c5turies1 ,native      
,am]icans & p :o 7 born to ,unit$ ,/ates

 citiz5s abroad1 p :o spoke a language  
o!r ?an ,engli%1 & p :o 7 =m]ly subject$
 to slav]y 7 d5i$ full citiz5%ip &      
prev5t$ f vot+ by ,engli% lit]acy te/s2 
,:]eas1 s9ce ! #ahgjs1 m9ority gr\ps su*
 z ,black ,am]icans 9 ! ,s\? h suff]$ f 
! oppressive effects ( ,jim ,cr[ laws t 
7 design$ to prev5t political1 economic1
 & social mobility2 ,:]eas ,black       
,am]icans1 ,lat9os1 ,asian ,am]icans1   
,native ,am]icans1 & o!r und]repres5t$  
vot]s 7 subject to viol5ce1 poll taxes1 
lit]acy te/s1 all-,:ite prim>ies1       
prop]ty own]%ip te/s1 & gr&fa!r clauses 
t 7 design$ to suppress ! "r ( ^?       
individuals to vote2 ,:]eas #e1bjj1jjj p
 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates are curr5tly bann$ f 
vot+ because ( a felony conviction1     
includ+ #a 9 #af ,black adults1 due to !
 %ameful entanglem5t ( racial inju/ice 9
 ! crim9al legal sy/em & vot+ access 9 !
 ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas memb]s ( !       
a=em5tion$ gr\ps & o!rs are curr5tly1 9 
"s cases1 subject to intimidation1 vot] 
roll purges1 & f9ancial b>ri]s t act    

effectively z mod]n-day poll taxes2     
,:]eas1 9 #aife1 ,congress pass$ ! ,vot+
 ,rights ,act ( #aife 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4    
#ajcja et seq47 to protect ! "r ( ,black
 ,am]icans & o!r traditionally          
dis5fran*is$ gr\ps to vote1 among o!r   
reasons2 ,:]eas1 9 #bjac1 9 ! l&m>k case
 ( ,%elby ,c\nty v4 ,hold]1 #egj ,u4,s4 
#ebi 7#bjac71 ! ,supreme ,c\rt ( !      
,unit$ ,/ates invalidat$ section #d ( ! 
,vot+ ,rights ,act ( #aife1 dismantl+ ! 
precle>ance =mula provision 9 t ,act t  
protect$ vot]s 9 ,/ates & localities t  
hi/orically h suppress$ ! "r ( m9orities
 to vote2 ,:]eas1 s9ce ! invalidation ( 
! precle>ance =mula provision ( ! ,vot+ 
,rights ,act ( #aife1 g]rym&]$ di/ricts 
9 _m ,/ates h gone un*all5g$ & h become 
less likely to be invalidat$ by ! c\rts2
 ,:]eas ^! g]rym&]$ di/ricts h be5 f\nd 
to h discrim9atory impacts on           
traditionally disenfran*is$ m9orities   
?r\gh tactics t include crack+1 dilut+ !
 vot+ p[] ( m9orities across _m         
di/ricts1 & pack+ or conc5trat+ m9ority 

vot]s' p[] 9 "o di/rict to r$uce _! vot+
 p[] 9 o!r di/ricts2 ,:]eas ! c\rts h   
f\nd ! congressional &1 9 "s cases1     
,/ate legislative di/rict maps1 9       
,texas1 ,nor? ,c>ol9a1 ,florida1        
,p5nsylvania1 ,ohio1 & ,wiscons9 to be  
g]rym&]$ di/ricts t 7 creat$ to favor "s
 gr\ps ov] o!rs2 ,:]eas ! decision ( !  
,supreme ,c\rt 9 ,%elby ,c\nty v4       
,hold]1 #egj ,u4,s4 #ebi 7#bjac71 calls 
on ,congress to update ! =mula 9 ! ,vot+
 ,rights ,act ( #aife2 ,:]eas ^!        
re/rictive vot+ laws encompass cutbacks 
9 e>ly vot+1 vot] roll purges1 placem5t 
( faulty equipm5t 9 m9ority communities1
 requirem5t ( photo id5tification1 & !  
elim9ation ( same-day regi/ration2      
,:]eas ^! policies c\ld outright        
dis5fran*ise or make vot+ mu* m         
difficult = m ?an #hj1jjj1jjj m9ority1  
eld]ly1 poor1 & disabl$ vot]s1 among o!r
 gr\ps2 ,:]eas1 9 #bjaf1 discrim9atory  
laws 9 ,nor? ,c>ol9a1 ,wiscons91 ,nor?  
,dakota1 & ,texas 7 rul$ to violate     
vot]s' rights & ov]turn$ by ! c\rts2    

,:]eas ! ,coronavirus ,disease #bjai    
7ref]r$ to 9 ?is preamble z ,,covid-#ai7
 public heal? em]g5cy has only exac]bat$
 ! /ate ( elections & ! difficulties    
vot]s face 9 obta9+ access to ! ballot2 
,:]eas a lack ( fair & safe election    
policies ?reat5s m9ority communities1   
:i* h be5 disproportionately impact$ &  
dis5fran*is$ due to ! ,,covid-#ai       
p&emic1 & _! access to ! ballot2 ,:]eas 
address+ ! *all5ges ( adm9i/]+ future   
elections requires increas+ !           
accessibility ( vote-by-mail & o!r      
limit$-contact options to ensure !      
protection ( vot]s' heal? & safety amid 
a global p&emic2 ,:]eas1 z vot+ by mail 
becomes a saf] & m accessible option =  
vot]s to ex]cise _! con/itutional "r to 
vote dur+ ! unprec$5t$ times caus$ by ! 
,,covid-#ai p&emic1 ! "w ( ! ,unit$     
,/ates ,po/al ,s]vice w be ( p>am\nt    
importance 9 successfully conduct+      
elections2 ,:]eas ,congress mu/ "w to   
combat any attempts to dismantle or     
und]fund ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,po/al ,s]vice 

or ob/ruct ! passage ( ! mail z blatant 
tactics ( vot] suppression & election   
int]f]5ce2 ,:]eas1 foll[+ ! #bjbj       
elections1 !re has be5 a rel5tless      
attack on ! "r to vote ) m ?an #djj     
bills hav+ be5 introduc$ to roll back ! 
"r to vote1 includ+ su* bills be+       
introduc$ 9 almo/ e ,/ate & at lea/ #ca 
( su* bills hav+ be5 sign$ into law 9   
#ah ,/ates2 ,:]eas !re is mu* m "w to be
 done to ensure all citiz5s ( ! ,unit$  
,/ates h ! "r to vote ?r\gh free1 fair1 
& accessible elections1 & ,congress mu/ 
ex]cise its con/itutional au?ority to   
protect ! "r to vote2 ,:]eas ,national  
,vot] ,regi/ration ,day is ,septemb]    
#bb2 & ,:]eas ,septemb] #bjba w\ld be an
 appropriate mon? to designate z        
,national ,vot+ ,rights ,mon? & to      
ensure t1 ?r\gh ! regi/ration ( vot]s & 
aw>5ess ( elections1 ! democracy ( !    
,unit$ ,/ates includes all citiz5s ( !  
,unit$ ,/ates3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x ,t !    
,s5ate-- 7#a7 designates ,septemb] #bjba
 z ,national ,vot+ ,rights ,mon?2  7#b7 

enc\rages all p 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates to    
uphold ! "r ( e citiz5 to ex]cise !     
sacr$ & fundam5tal "r to vote2  7#c7    
enc\rages ,congress to pass-- 7,a7 ! ,= 
! ,p ,act ( #bjba 7,s4 #bjic & ,h4,r4 #a
 ( ! #aag? ,congress71 to increase      
vot]s' access to ! ballot1 prohibit !   
use ( deceptive practices to intimidate 
vot]s1 end g]rym&]+1 create automatic   
vot] regi/ration1 limit ! p[] (         
re/rictive vot] id5tification laws1 make
 critical inve/m5ts 9 election          
infra/ructure & te*nology1 & address    
corruption 9 campaign f9ance & e?ics2   
7,b7 ! ,fre$om to ,vote ,act 7,s4 #bgdg 
( ! #aag? ,congress71 to set basic      
national /&>ds to make sure all p 9 !   
,unit$ ,/ates c ca/ _! ballots 9 ! way t
 works be/ = !m1 reg>dless ( :at ,,zip  
code !y live 91 improve access to !     
ballot = p 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 advance   
commons5se election integrity re=ms1 &  
protect ! democracy ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates f 
rel5tless attacks2  7,c7 ! ,john ,r4    
,lewis ,vot+ ,rights ,advancem5t ,act ( 

#bjba 7,h4,r4 #d ( ! #aag? ,congress71  
to re/ore ! protections ( ! ,vot+       
,rights ,act ( #aife 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4     
#ajcja et seq47 t prohibit discrim9atory
 vot+ practices1 remove b>ri]s to vot+1 
& provide protections = m9ority vot]s 9 
,/ates ) a hi/ory ( vot+ discrim9ation2 
7,d7 ! ,democracy ,re/oration ,act 7,s4 
#dha ( ! #aag? ,congress71 to re/ore    
,f$]al vot+ rights to citiz5s aft]      
release f imprisonm5t1 honor+ !         
responsibilities ( citiz5%ip & civic    
engagem5t necess>y = build+ heal?y &    
safe communities1 :ile welcom+ !        
contributions ( p return+ home aft]     
imprisonm5t2 &  7,e7 o!r vot+ rights    
legislation t seeks to advance vot+     
rights & protect elections 9 ! ,unit$   
,/ates2  7#d7 recomm5ds t public s*ools 
& univ]sities 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates develop 
an academic curriculum t educates /ud5ts
 ab\t-- 7,a7 ! importance ( vot+1 h[ to 
regi/] to vote1 :]e to vote1 & ! diff]5t
 =ms ( vot+2  7,b7 ! hi/ory ( vot]      
suppression 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates be=e &    

aft] passage ( ! ,vot+ ,rights ,act (   
#aife2 &  7,c7 curr5t measures t h be5  
tak5 to re/rict ! vote2  7#e7 enc\rages 
! ,unit$ ,/ates ,po/al ,s]vice to issue 
a special ,john ,r4 ,lewis /amp dur+ !  
mon? ( ,septemb]-- 7,a7 to honor ! life 
& legacy ( ,john ,r4 ,lewis 9 support+  
vot+ rights2 &  7,b7 to rem9d p 9 !     
,unit$ ,/ates t ord9>y citiz5s risk$ _! 
lives1 m>*$1 & p>ticipat$ 9 ! great     
democracy ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates s t all     
citiz5s w\ld h ! fundam5tal "r to vote2 
&  7#f7 invites ,congress to allocate ! 
requisite funds = public s]vice         
ann\ncem5ts on television1 radio1       
newspap]s1 magaz9es1 social m$ia1       
billbo>ds1 buses1 & o!r =ms ( m$ia--    
7,a7 to rem9d p 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates :5    
elections are be+ held2  7,b7 to %>e    
important regi/ration deadl9es2 &  7,c7 
to urge p to get out & vote4