For Immediate Release: December 6, 2019
Contact: Lee Morrow, [email protected], 202-601-7871

Catholic Social Justice Lobby Applauds VRAA House Vote
Sr. Quincy: “Denying the right to vote in a democracy is dehumanizing and should never be tolerated.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House of Representatives passed the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019 (VRAA), returning power to the Voting Rights Act that was gutted in the Supreme Court’s 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision. Because of the Shelby decision, for six years, civil rights organizations have struggled against restrictive voting laws that disenfranchised millions of American voters. Now, with the House passage of the VRAA, there is a path to quickly address and end voting rights abuses that have become commonplace across our country. The Senate must take up and pass the VRAA. NETWORK issued the following statement:

Sister Quincy Howard, OP, Government Relations Specialist for NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice said:

“People of faith have been waiting impatiently as we’ve watched voter suppression tactics increase across the country with each election cycle. For six years, Congress has failed to pass legislation to repair what the Supreme Court broke in their Shelby ruling. Denying the right to vote in a democracy is dehumanizing and should never be tolerated. By passing the VRAA today, the House affirmed the crucial role of the federal government in overseeing elections and enforcing the right to vote. Now it’s time for the Senate to follow suit and take up the bill. The status quo is unacceptable.”

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NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice – advocates for justice inspired by Catholic Sisters – educates, organizes, and lobbies for economic and social transformation. They have nearly 50-year track record of lobbying for critical federal programs that support those at the margins and prioritize the common good. www.networklobby.org