,,iii  #aai? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 ,,res4 #hed  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!
 ,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,septemb] #ae1        
#bjbf,mr4 ,wyd5 7= himself1 ,ms4        
,alsobrooks1 ,ms4 ,baldw91 ,mr4 ,b5net1 
,mr4 ,blum5?al1 ,ms4 ,blunt ,ro*e/]1    
,mr4 ,book]1 ,ms4 ,cantwell1 ,mr4       
,coons1 ,ms4 ,duckwor?1 ,mr4 ,durb91    
,mr4 ,fett]man1 ,mr4 ,he9ri*1 ,ms4      
,hirono1 ,mr4 ,ka9e1 ,mr4 ,k+1 ,ms4     
,klobu*>1 ,mr4 ,lujn1 ,mr4 ,m>key1 ,mr4 
,m]kley1 ,mr4 ,padilla1 ,mr4 ,s&]s1 ,mr4
 ,s*atz1 ,mr4 ,s*iff1 ,mrs4 ,%ahe51 ,ms4
 ,smi?1 ,mr4 ,van ,holl51 ,mr4 ,w>n]1   
,ms4 ,w>r51 ,mr4 ,wel*1 & ,mr4          
,:iteh\se7 submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2
 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on !      
,judici>y  ,,resolution  ,designat+     
,septemb] #bjbf z ,national ,vot+       
,rights ,mon?4  ,:]eas vot+ is #a ( !   
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 ( ^?       
und]repres5t$ individuals to vote2      
,:]eas1 z ( #bjbd1 #d1jjj1jjj p 9 !     
,unit$ ,/ates 7 dis5fran*is$ 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 ( #aife 7#eb         
,u4,s4,c4 #ajcjc71 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 ( #aife 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4     
#ajcja et seq471 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 9 _m ,/ates h  
be5 f\nd to h a discrim9atory impact on 
traditionally dis5fran*is$ m9orities    
?r\gh tactics t include crack+1 dilut+ !
 vot+ p[] ( m9orities across _m         
di/ricts1 & pack+1 conc5trat+ ! p[] (   
m9ority vot]s into #a di/rict to r$uce  
_! vot+ p[] 9 o!r di/ricts2 ,:]eas "s   
,/ates h implem5t$ new vot+ re/rictions 
t make x m difficult to vote1 includ+   
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 !   
rights ( vot]s & 7 ov]turn$ by ! c\rts2 
,:]eas ! decision ( ! ,supreme ,c\rt ( !
 ,unit$ ,/ates 9 ,%elby ,c\nty v4 ,hold]
 calls on ,congress to update ! =mula 9 

! ,vot+ ,rights ,act ( #aife 7#eb       
,u4,s4,c4 #ajcja et seq472 ,:]eas1 on   
,april #bi1 #bjbf1 ! ,supreme ,c\rt ( ! 
,unit$ ,/ates1 9 ,l\isiana v4 ,callais1 
#fjh ,u4,s4  7#bjbf71 significantly     
n>r[$ section #b ( ! ,vot+ ,rights ,act 
( #aife 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #ajcja71 hold+ t 
,l\isiana engag$ 9 an uncon/itutional   
racial g]rym&] :5 x creat$ a second     
majority-,black congressional di/rict to
 comply ) section #b & requir+ future   
*all5g]s to %[ t a ,/ate int5tionally   
discrim9at$ aga9/ m9ority vot]s1 a f>   
high] b> ?an c\rts _h previ\sly requir$2
 ,:]eas ,ju/ice ,kagan w>n$ 9 h] diss5t 
9 ,l\isiana v4 ,callais t ! decision    
r5d]s section #b all b a dead lett] z a 
tool = protect+ m9ority vot]s f vote    
dilution2 ,:]eas1 beg9n+ 9 #bjbe &      
cont9u+ into #bjbf1 legislatures &      
commissions 9 ,/ates includ+ ,texas1    
,miss\ri1 ,nor? ,c>ol9a1 ,ohio1         
,florida1 ,t5nessee1 ,alabama1 &        
,l\isiana h enact$ new congressional    
maps mid-decade1 outside ! normal       

po/-c5sus r$i/rict+ cycle2 ,:]eas ^!    
maps h specifically t>get$ di/ricts held
 by ,black & o!r m9ority ,memb]s (      
,congress2 ,:]eas ^! ef=ts1 embold5$ by 
! decisions ( ! ,supreme ,c\rt ( !      
,unit$ ,/ates 9 ,%elby ,c\nty v4 ,hold] 
& ,l\isiana v4 ,callais1 face few] legal
 *ecks aga9/ racial vote dilution ?an at
 any po9t s9ce ! passage ( ! ,vot+      
,rights ,act ( #aife 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4     
#ajcja et seq471 und]scor+ ! urg5t ne$ =
 ,congress to re/ore & /r5g!n its       
protections2 ,:]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 ,:]eas ! ,trump ,adm9i/ration
 has repeat$ly attempt$ to re/rict vot] 
regi/ration & access to ! ballot1       
includ+ vote-by-mail1 = eligible citiz5s
 ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas ! ,dep>tm5t (
 ,ju/ice has laun*$ unprec$5t$ lawsuits 
aga9/ at lea/ #cj ,/ates & ! ,di/rict ( 
,columbia to =ce !m to turn ov] _! vot] 

regi/ration li/s & ,f$]al c\rts h       
repeat$ly dismiss$ ^! ,dep>tm5t (       
,ju/ice lawsuits z m]itless2 ,:]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 9 #bjbf is ,tuesday1  
,septemb] #ae2 & ,:]eas ,septemb] #bjbf 
w\ld be an appropriate mon?-- 7#a7 to   
designate z ,national ,vot+ ,rights     
,mon?2 &  7#b7 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] #bjbf 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 ! ,john ,r4 ,lewis ,vot+   
,rights ,advancem5t ,act ( #bjbe 7,s4   

#bebc1 ,h4,r4 #ad1 #aai? ,congress71 to 
/r5g!n protections = vot]s by re/or+ &  
mod]niz+ key protections 9 ! ,vot+      
,rights ,act ( #aife 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4     
#ajcja et seq47 to prev5t discrim9atory 
g]rym&]+ & to ensure m9ority vot+ rights
 are safegu>d$2 &  7,b7 o!r vot+ rights 
legislation t seeks to advance vot+     
rights & protect elections 9 ! ,unit$   
,/ates2  7#d7 enc\rages ,congress to    
oppose ! ,safegu>d ,am]ican ,vot]       
,eligibility ,act 7,s4 #cgeb1 ,h4,r4    
#gbif1 #aai? ,congress71 :i* c\ld block 
millions ( citiz5s ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates f  
ca/+ _! vote2  7#e7 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 ( #aife 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4     
#ajcja et seq472 &  7,c7 curr5t measures
 t h be5 tak5 to re/rict ! vote2  7#f7  

expresses appreciation = ! ,unit$ ,/ates
 ,po/al ,s]vice hav+ issu$ a special    
,repres5tative ,john ,r4 ,lewis /amp on 
,septemb] #ai1 #bjbc-- 7,a7 to honor !  
life & legacy ( ,repres5tative ,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#g7 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