Voting Rights Act: Public Advocacy
Learn how the CBC has spent years fighting tirelessly to protect the voting rights of underrepresented people.
Voting Rights Poster and Man on Grass
An African American man lays on the grass under an American flag. Behind him stands a “Support Voting Rights Now!” Poster.
The Congressional Black Caucus, along with several other top civil rights organizations, continues to fight for the provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and its amendments. The CBC’s tireless efforts to protect the rights of underrepresented groups resulted in the amendments and reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act in 1970, 1975, 1982, and 2006.
The CBC demonstrated its commitment to the protection of voting rights when members met with President George W. Bush to discuss the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act in 2005. In the meeting, they urged President Bush to support the extension of the temporary provisions of the act, which were set to expire in 2007. In subsequent meetings with Presidents Barack Obama, Donald J. Trump, and Joe Biden, the CBC also included the protection of voting rights as a central point of discussion.
In Congress and in the media, CBC members have been outspoken advocates for the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act and on other issues important to ensuring full representation in American democracy. With each effort to reauthorize the VRA, the CBC and many of its individual members put out press releases and legislation summaries detailing how the proposed amendments would impact minority and other protected communities.
The Congressional Black Caucus is also committed to educating constituents and others about the importance of voting rights legislation. Each year, the CBC hosts the Annual Memorial Voting Rights Braintrust during the CBCF Legislative Conference. The purpose of this event is to educate constituents about the major issues surrounding voting rights.
As the fight against voter suppression moves increasingly into the courts following the 2013 Shelby County v Holder decision, the CBC has filed numerous amicus briefs with the Supreme Court and various district and state courts to express support for a party in the case or provide the court context for how its ruling would impact voting access for various constituencies.