Joe Neguse, Barbara Lee, Jena Griswold to Celebrate the 55th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act in Live Virtual Panel
Washington D.C.—To celebrate the 55th anniversary of the enactment of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, Congressman Joe Neguse will host a live virtual panel on Thursday August 6th at 4:45pm MT to celebrate and reflect on the landmark law and its significance today. The panel will include special guest Congresswoman Barbara Lee, along with Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold and Boulder County Clerk and Recorder Molly Fitzpatrick.
“As we approach the November election amidst a global pandemic, the challenge of ensuring equal opportunity and equal accessibility at the polls has never been so important,” said Congressman Joe Neguse. “As COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the country, ensuring that every American can access the ballot box without getting sick, and that our elections are safe, secure and accessible has taken on new urgency. As we celebrate the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act we celebrate the vision it lays out, but we also must continue to ensure the spirit of the law is fulfilled, that access to our elections remains available to everyone, that every voice is heard and no one is put at risk in order to fulfill that right.”
WHAT:
Virtual Panel to Celebrate and Discuss the 55th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act
WHO:
U.S. Congressman Joe Neguse
U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold
Boulder County Clerk and Recorder Molly Fitzpatrick
WHEN:
Thursday August 6th, 2020
4:45pm to 5:30pm MT
Members of the media should RSVP to Sally Tucker at Sally.Tucker@mail.house.gov
In December, Congressman Neguse helped pass legislation through the U.S. House of Representatives to restore protections outlined in the Voting Rights Act that were undone by the Supreme Court’s 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision. He has also been a champion for new proposals, such as H.R. 1 to expand voter access. His bill, the Next Generation Votes Act, to enact nationwide pre-registration for 16 and 17-year-olds passed the House in 2019. In response to new voter accessibility challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Congressman Neguse introduced legislation to ensure adequate funds for the U.S. Postal Service and has been a vocal supporter of moving to an all vote by mail system this November.