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Washington, DC — Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Shelby County v. Holder decision, which gutted key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27) released the following statement:
“Five years ago, the Supreme Court gutted key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Five year later, we continue to see the disastrous consequences of this decision through the discriminatory laws that have since been enacted to disenfranchise communities of color, youth, and the elderly from participating in our democracy.
“We have also heard complaints of polling locations failing to provide translated ballots even though they are legally required to do so under Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act. These unfair practices disproportionately hurt those in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community – over a third of whom are limited English proficient.
“I am committed to ensuring that we pass legislation to restore the Voting Rights Act. We must protect vulnerable communities from discriminatory voter suppression efforts and ensure that every U.S. citizen – regardless of their race, age, or language ability – has equal access to the ballot box.”
