Washington, D.C. — In response to House passage of H.R. 4, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, an updated version of the historically bipartisan Voting Rights Act that addresses current-day voter suppression tactics, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) issued the following statement from Voting Rights Program Director Justin Kwasa: 

“We are encouraged to see House Democrats fight for a healthy, functioning democracy where all people can participate freely and equitably. For more than 50 years, the Voting Rights Act has been a crucial bipartisan line of defense against discriminatory voting laws and racial gerrymandering that has empowered Black, Latinx, Asian American and Native communities. Today’s vote is an important step towards restoring the full protections of the Voting Rights Act with the updated protections needed to shield voting and redistricting processes from modern discriminatory practices.

“It is imperative that the Senate takes up and passes both H.R. 4 and S. 1, the For the People Act, to ensure an equitable redistricting process and free and fair elections in 2022. If necessary, we call on Senate leadership to reform or eliminate the filibuster to ensure the continued protection of all voters, regardless of their race or what community they come from. We will never achieve environmental justice if the communities most affected by climate change and pollution do not have full representation in our democracy.”

# # #