Dewine Joins Colleagues in Support of Voting Rights Act Reauthorization

DEWINE JOINS COLLEAGUES IN SUPPORT OF VOTING RIGHTS ACT REAUTHORIZATION

U.S. Senator Mike DeWine (R-OH) Tuesday joined his House and Senate colleagues to announce the introduction of the Voting Rights Act Reauthorization on the House steps; the Senate bill was officially introduced today. The Voting Rights Act was originally passed in 1965 to protect the 15th amendment right to vote, which was illegally being denied to many citizens. The bill was last renewed in 1982 and some of the provisions are expiring. This bill would reauthorize those provisions for 25 years.

"The reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act has been successful in addressing the most obvious and egregious violations of voting rights, and has helped desegregate legislative bodies at every level of government," said Senator DeWine. "Unfortunately, we still have work to do; we must remove some lingering practices which impact on the rights which all citizens share - the right to vote. I truly hope that after this 25 year renewal is completed, we will all find that no more congressional action is necessary, and that as a society we have fulfilled the promise enshrined in our Constitution - that we will protect the voting rights of all Americans, at all times."

The bill was introduced in the House on Tuesday. Senator DeWine is an original cosponsor of the Senate version, which was introduced today.

http://dewine.senate.gov/