March 05, 2025

Chairman Aguilar: Voting is an act of patriotism

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar joined Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, Rep. Terri Sewell and other leaders in the House Democratic Caucus in introducing H.R. 14, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. 

CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: Thank you, Whip Clark. I appreciate the Whip’s Leadership in helping to get every Democrat on this bill. We’re here also to thank and lift up the work that Congresswoman Terri Sewell has done as a champion of this legislation. It is no small task to carry a bill named after our beloved colleague, John Lewis. She has stepped up time and time again to make this a priority and we appreciate her work. That’s why it’s a privilege for me to be here to join my colleagues here today as we commemorate the 60th anniversary of John Lewis marching across the Edmund Pettis Bridge and honor his memory with this legislation righting a great wrong. 

In 2013, the politicians on the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act, allowing states across this country to make it harder for people to vote. We are here today because we believe in fairness. If you have a stake in your community’s future, you should be able to vote for it. The same Republicans in Congress who oppose this legislation are the ones who only accept the election outcome when they win. That is a fundamentally un-American view. And no one understood that more than John Lewis. Voting is an act of patriotism. We love our country, we want to make it better and we want every American to have the same opportunity. 

Let’s make our elections more fair and more accessible so that everyone has the chance to make their voice heard. Let’s end Republican efforts to put up roadblocks up to the ballot box. And let’s remind people that voting is how we make our democracy stronger. Together let’s pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. 

Video of the full press conference can be viewed here.

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