Congressman Kim Votes to Restore Voting Rights Act

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03) voted to pass H.R. 4, the Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would update and restore key sections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and strengthen additional voting rights protections.

“Casting a vote is a sacred expression of our Democracy and should be protected for every American citizen,” said Congressman Kim. “Unfortunately, that right has been under attack for generations. People have stood up and spoke out, marched and bled to ensure access to that right. This vote is in honor of their sacrifice in the name of our Democratic ideals.”

The bill establishes “practice-based preclearance”, which would ensure that potentially discriminatory practices such as changing ways in which people are allowed to vote, reducing the number of voting days and locations, and partisan or racial gerrymandering, are subject to administrative or judicial review. This review process would allow a federal standard to be set ensuring all Americans have the same basic rights and protections under the law to express their opinion at the ballot box.

“Let’s be clear, this bill alone does not create an equal playing field,” said Kim. “There is still work left to ensure that communities of color have a full and equal voice in our Democracy. I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to continue that fight for justice and equality.”

The Voting Rights Advancement Act, H.R. 4, is supported by more than 60 national organizations, including the NAACP, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and the AFL-CIO.

“The Voting Rights Advancement Act, H.R.4 is a critical piece of legislation to restore prior civil rights advancements,” said Samantha Whitfield, Willingboro & Vicinity NAACP Branch President. “Voter suppression tactics continue to be a pervasive, insidious problem across the United States that disproportionately affect people of color. We must ensure that last-minute changes will no longer adversely impact voters of any race, creed, or color. On behalf of the Willingboro & Vicinity NAACP, I applaud Rep. Kim in his efforts to repair and strengthen the 1965 Voting Rights Act by modernizing the preclearance formula to cover states with an historical pattern and practice of discrimination.”

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