WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Schneider helped introduce H.R. 4, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, as an original cosponsor. The legislation would restore federal oversight for states with a recent history of voter discrimination.
Eight years after the Supreme Court's Shelby County v. Holder decision gutted the Voting Rights Act, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act addresses a wave of restrictive, anti-voter laws being enacted at the state level.
"The Supreme Court's decision to gut the Voting Rights Act was simply wrong and has consequently led to increasingly egregious efforts to rig elections. The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act is a critical step to prevent voter suppression and guarantee the franchise to all voters. I'm pleased to join so many of my Democratic colleagues in introducing this historic piece of legislation," said Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10).
The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act seeks to restore the full protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Specifically, the bill will take into account the Shelby County v. Holder decision in 2013 by establishing an updated formula for determining which states and localities must obtain federal pre-clearance before making changes to their voting laws. It also establishes a targeted process for reviewing voting changes based on measures that have historically been used to discriminate against voters.
For areas to qualify for judicial pre-clearance, they must have the following qualifications:
The bill also addresses the decision in Brnovich v. DNC by eliminating the heightened standard created by the Court to challenge racially discriminatory laws under Section 2.
The House of Representatives is set to consider H.R. 4 next week
Background:
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is the nation's most effective defense against racially discriminatory voting policies. It has prevented discriminatory barriers to voting across the country for decades.
Since the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act in its 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision, and again in the Brnovich v. DNC decision in July 2021, there has been a steady increase in the number of restrictive voting laws that disproportionately suppress turnout among minorities, young adults, and the elderly. This accelerated with the Big Lie of a "stolen election."
Just this year, 18 states have enacted at least 30 laws to restrict access to the vote for millions of voters across the country.
A copy of H.R. 4 can be found here . An executive summary can be found here .