Rep. Luria Supports John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Elaine Luria today applauded the passage of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (H.R. 4). The landmark voting rights legislation aims to combat voter suppression by restoring key protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which was nullified by the Supreme Court’s 2013 ruling in Shelby County v. Holder.

“Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy and the right to vote should never be diminished,” Congresswoman Luria said. “I am proud that Virginia is working to make voting more accessible while there are partisan efforts in other states undermining the right to vote. We need this legislation to restore the full promise of our democracy and ensure that every eligible American voter has the ability to make their voice heard.”

Named for the late Congressman and civil rights icon John R. Lewis, H.R. 4 restores the preclearance requirement, allowing the federal government to once again reject many restrictions to voting, and creates a new practice-based preclearance requirement. The bill also eliminates the heightened standard for challenging voter suppression laws, which was created by the recent Brnovich decision.

According to the Brennan Center for Justice, 18 states, motivated in part by the falsehood that the 2020 election was stolen, have already enacted 30 laws that restrict the right to vote just since the beginning of this year. Furthermore, according to the Voting Rights Lab, there are over 400 voter suppression bills still actively being considered by state legislatures this year.

More than 100 organizations have endorsed the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, including: The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, National Council of Jewish Women, League of Women Voters of the United States, Sierra Club, National Wildlife Federation, League of Conservation Voters, and the NAACP.