Dear Friends-

The right to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy. This week, I voted for the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act which would work to ensure every American has equal freedom to make their voices heard at the ballot box. Now, the Senate must take swift action to make this bill law.  

After a 2013 misguided Supreme Court decision gutted the Voting Rights Act, Republican-led state legislatures kicked off voter suppression efforts that have only ramped up since the failed attempt at overturning the 2020 election results. We must protect Americans’ voices, and that is why I proudly led the former House Task Force on Election Reform, which laid the groundwork for today’s voting rights legislation. Our work is important now more than ever.  

President Biden called for a change in the Senate rules to bypass the filibuster and pass these bills. I have long advocated for the elimination of the filibuster, a Senate rule with no Constitutional backing. We can no longer allow this rule to block the will and voice of the American people.  The House has sent over voting rights legislation to the Senate for several years only to be blocked by the filibuster. 

You can learn more about the Freedom to Vote Act here. For more information about the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, see here.  

I will keep working until we have secured equal voting rights to all our neighbors. To follow what I’m working on both in Washington and in Connecticut, visit my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter, or follow me on Instagram.  

Regards,
 
John B. Larson
Member of Congress