This July, we celebrate not only our nation’s founding, but also the fortieth anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, and the dream of an America that guarantees equality for all. On July 2, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law. Despite heavy opposition in the 1960’s, the bill passed through Congress thanks to the tireless dedication of individuals who believed in an America, a nation free from racial discrimination and segregation. President John F. Kennedy fostered a similar dream in 1963, saying:

One hundred years of delay have passed since President Lincoln freed the slaves, yet their heirs, their grandsons, are not fully free. They are not yet freed from the bonds of injustice. They are not yet freed from social and economic oppression. And this nation, for all its hopes and all its boasts, will not be fully free until all its citizens are free.

Forty years later, President Kennedy’s vision of equality for all Americans remains alive today in part through the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and its reauthorization in 2006. These laws help to ensure that every citizen has the opportunity to fully exercise their Constitutional right to vote, regardless of race. I deeply believe in the principles of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and strongly supported the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act in 2006. It is only by continued vigilance that we maintain our rights, our children’s rights, and the rights of all Americans.