Restore the Vote
Floor Speech
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Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge today as Restoration Tuesday and to honor the role of the brave men and women who fought in the ongoing battle to protect our most sacred constitutional right, the right to vote. Today, 51 years ago, courageous men and women stood tall and moved forward on what would be the final march of the peaceful protest marches from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in March of 1965. This final march only occurred after countless Americans were left beaten, bloody and bruised on ``Bloody Sunday'' in pursuit of their fundamental right--the right to have their voices heard and their vote counted. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 would never have been possible without their sacrifices; but still today old battles have become anew and the struggle for equal voting rights continues. It is reprehensible that still in 2016, Americans across the nation continue to face modern day barriers to the ballot box. A number of states, including Alabama, quickly passed restrictive laws designed to suppress the vote after the Supreme Court struck down Section 4 pre- clearance and federal protection for vulnerable communities in 2013. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was reauthorized nearly a decade ago and it is shameful that still today, people across the nation do not enjoy full and free access to exercise their right to vote. The time is always right to do what is right. As we continue to progress throughout this election year, it is especially critical that all Americans have fair and equal access to the ballot box. Our very democracy is built on the ability of every citizen being able to have their voices heard and vote counted. We must learn from the lessons of the past and honor those who sacrificed for our nation's progress. Just recently, I introduced legislation to honor voting rights icon, Amelia Boynton Robinson, by renaming the Selma, Alabama post office in her honor. Mrs. Boynton Robinson was a voting rights hero and one of the Foot Soldiers on the front lines of the 1965 voting rights marches. She made the clear and compelling statement through her campaign motto when running for Congress as the first woman from the State of Alabama that ``A Voteless People Is A Hopeless People.'' We cannot continue to repeat the errors of the past. Amelia Boynton Robinson, like so many others literally shed blood for the right to vote. Fifty-one years later, no one should have to face violence or shed blood for a fundamental right. Also, just today I introduced legislation to designate several civil rights and voting rights sites in Birmingham, AL as a national park in order to commemorate their historical significance. While these pieces of legislation are important gestures, the best way to commemorate and recognize their legacy is to pass meaningful voting rights legislation that would restore key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Now is the time. Congress must act. The American people cannot wait any longer. On this Restoration Tuesday, we honor the men and women who stood for our fundamental right and take up the cause to continue the fight. The right to vote is worth fighting for and we must fight until the battle is won. We must Restore the Vote.
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