Payne, Jr. Statement on the 51st Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act

Newark, N.J. – Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10) released the following statement marking the 51st anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, signed into law on August 6, 1965:

“The principles of liberty, equality, and self-government, which form the foundation of our country, require that every American be able to exercise their fundamental right to vote. The weakening of the Voting Rights Act in Shelby County v. Holder is a direct threat to that right. And, as we have seen play out in many Republican-led states, it leads to intentionally discriminatory voting restrictions. We should immediately restore the full protections of the Voting Rights Act so that all Americans have an equal voice regardless of what they look like or where they come from.”