As an effort to strengthen the Voting Rights Act of 1965, lawmakers voted in favor of the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. The bill, formerly known as H.R.4, is a response to Supreme Court rulings in Arizona. One ruling “banned the collection of absentee ballots by anyone other than a relative caregiver,” which has been called “ballot harvesting” by lawmakers. The second ruling “threw out any ballots cast in the wrong precinct.” In support of the Voting Act, Florida Rep. Kathy Castor (D) took to Twitter, sharing a news segment on the bill and praising the Voting Rights Act. Castor slammed “GOP Power Brokers” who are attempting to use “blatant voter suppression tactics” on the American people.
The John Lewis Voting Rights Act was also a response to the For the People Act, which Republicans blocked. However, Democrats have highlighted both bills, and President Joe Biden (D) has also expressed his support for both bills in August.
“The House is acting,” said President Biden, adding that “the Senate also has to join them to send this important bill to my desk, and the Senate has to move forward on the people’s act – critical legislation to protect our democracy and the right to voter” before reiterating that “we need both of those.”
In a speech given in Philadelphia, the President also assessed that the current battle regarding voting rights “is a test of our time.”
After the Voting Rights Act was passed, Republicans issued a letter, responding to several claims made by Democrats. One claim that has been argued extensively by both sides of the aisle is whether or not “our current system suppresses minority voters.” Citing data from a Census Bureau on the 2020 election, the Bureau informed that “the 2020 election saw the highest voter turnout of the 21st century, and that minority groups registered to vote and turned out in the highest numbers ever seen.”
Castor argues that she is still committed to the cause, sharing on Twitter that “all citizens deserve access to the ballot box, & while GOP power brokers seek to take us backward with blatant voter suppression tactics, voter roll purges & insidious barriers to the voting booth.”
All citizens deserve access to the ballot box, & while GOP power brokers seek to take us backward with blatant voter suppression tactics, voter roll purges & insidious barriers to the voting booth, I am fighting to renew & strengthen the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act🗳 pic.twitter.com/kiRiBi4J5S
— US Rep Kathy Castor (@USRepKCastor) September 6, 2021
She asserted that she is “fighting to renew & strengthen the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.”
