People Lie--Numbers Don't
Floor Speech
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Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today on this Restoration Tuesday, I rise to bring attention to the continued voter suppression affecting Americans around the country during this election year and the ongoing battle to protect the constitutional right to vote. It has been said that new restrictive voting laws were made to prevent voter fraud, but there is little evidence showing a significant problem. It has been said that having certain photo IDs are a simple request for those seeking to vote, while thousands of Americans such as the elderly, college students and city-dwellers who use public transportation and others lack such newly required IDs. Much is done in the name of noble reasons, but often the truth lies not in words but in deeds and results. The truth is this--Americans want to vote, but these new suppressive state voting laws are making it especially difficult. Here are some numbers: Seventeen states have introduced new voting procedures to be in place for the November election, more than half of which are being challenged in court. In all, over 30 states across the country have implemented new restrictive laws aimed at blocking the American people from the ballot box. After the Supreme Court decision in the Shelby case, the state of Alabama closed over 30 DMVs, the most common location to receive a photo ID. Strict voting ID laws in Texas could leave up to 600,000 voters without the proper ID. Also in 2008, Arizona had 400 voting polls. They went down to 200 voting polls in 2012 and now in 2016 they are down to 60. Across the nation, voting polls have been shut down and voters have been shut out. New photo ID laws have been passed and eligible voters have been passed up. With so many new state laws that have made it harder for voters to get to the polls, we must take a hard look around and ask the question--why don't we want people to vote? Why make voting for eligible voters harder and not easier? Are these new laws really about preventing voter fraud? The leaders in Congress need to have answers to these questions. Suppression of the right to vote is especially un-democratic and ultimately un-American. In the midst of this devastating blow to our democratic process, here are some numbers that we can be proud of: Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe recently restored voting rights to about 200,000 individuals with a past felony conviction. On March 10th of this year, Maryland also restored the right to vote for an estimated 40,000 individuals with past felony convictions. It is encouraging to see examples of leaders who believe in our democracy and believe in the Constitutional right to have one's voice heard through their right to vote. I don't have to remind anyone that this is an election year. But when I look around and see the ongoing suppression of the right to vote, I feel obligated to remind us all of what is at stake in this election. Every voice matters, every vote matters. Unfortunately, if eligible voters continue to be hindered by these new suppressive state laws; every voice will not be heard. Every potential vote will not be counted. Voting rights need to be protected and eligible voters need proponents of the Constitution and the democratic process to fight for them--to fight for their rights. The suppression needs to stop, the oppression needs to stop, and the excuses need to stop. There is too much at stake this election year and Congress needs to stand up and do something about it now. On this Restoration Tuesday, I give us all the charge to battle against the continued suppression of the American vote and stand strong by our principles of democracy, liberty, and justice for all. Mr. Speaker, my Republican colleagues should join the 168 members of Congress and support H.R. 2867--the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015. Let's restore the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It is the right thing to do.
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