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Rep. Zoe Lofgren Reacts to Supreme Court Decision on the Voting Rights Act (Shelby v. Holder)

June 25, 2013

Today Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), a senior Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee and House Committee on Administration, released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court's ruling on the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The landmark law, renewed four times since enactment, most recently in 2006, protects voter's rights from intimidation or discrimination by requiring selected districts and states to gain federal preclearance before changing voting procedures or qualifications:

"This decision is disappointing because the Supreme Court used the Voting Rights Act's success to justify striking this key section down, even as it acknowledged that voting discrimination still exists today," said Rep. Lofgren. "Every eligible citizen is entitled to their Constitutional right to vote free from artificial barriers or hurdles. It's a bedrock principle we reaffirmed through careful bipartisan work in the Judiciary Committee when Congress last renewed the Voting Rights Act in 2006. Congress now has a responsibility to take this matter up again, as the Court suggests it should, to ensure that spirit is reflected in the law so no one is disenfranchised from their fundamental right to vote."

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