WASHINGTON, DC— Congressman Chris Cannon (R-UT) today hailed the House passage of H.R. 9, the Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act reauthorization. The bill amends the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to modify and extend provisions regarding election examiners, disfranchising voting qualifications, payment of certain attorney fees in enforcement proceedings, among other provisions.
“The right to vote is, at heart, the very essence of America. Ronald Reagan, when signing an extension of the Voting Rights Act in 1982, called it ‘the crown jewel of American liberties.’ This is a reminder of our duty to protect the rights of every citizen and our commitment to ensuring that every American can exercise his or her right and privilege to vote,” Cannon said.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed to ensure that minority residents of states with a long history of discrimination could exercise their right to vote. The reauthorization the House passed today renews expiring provisions for an additional 25 years and updates the act by eliminating outdated provisions.
The Act has been renewed four times by bipartisan majorities in both Houses of Congress, and has been supported by both Republican and Democrat presidents.
