“I am pleased that, after weeks of delaying tactics, the Republicans allowed for this landmark legislation to be voted on,” said Langevin. “I have the most profound respect for the great Americans who came before us and who worked tirelessly to fight injustice in our electoral system.  We honor their service and their sacrifice today by reauthorizing the Voting Rights Act, and I am proud to be a cosponsor of this important legislation.” 

This legislation provides a 25-year reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act, which was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on August 6, 1965.  The reauthorization passed by a vote of 390-33.

“By reauthorizing the Voting Rights Act, we are reaffirming our nation’s commitment to ensuring all Americans, especially those in the African American community and other minority groups, are treated fairly and retain their right to vote,” said Montiero, who participated in the 1965 Selma March for voting rights. Most recently the Providence branch of the NAACP along with others in the community were able to exercise provisions in the law to ensure voter redistricting was conducted fairly in Rhode Island.

Enacted in 1965, and expanded in 1975, the Voting Rights Act provided extensive protection to minority communities by prohibiting any voting practice that would abridge the right to vote on the basis of race.  Any “test or device” for registering or voting was forbidden, effectively abolishing poll taxes and literacy tests.

The Voting Rights Act has played a key role in reversing the widespread disenfranchisement of African Americans and other minorities fostered by segregation and oppression. The success of this legislation has led to significant political achievement and greater minority representation at all levels of government. According to the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, today there are more than 9,100 African American and 6,000 Latino elected officials across the country and the number of Asian Americans holding elected office has tripled.

“The Voting Rights Act has proven extremely effective in expanding the freedom to vote to citizens who had previously been disenfranchised, and, as a result, minorities have been able to participate in elections at record levels,” continued Langevin. “However, while we have made significant progress, recent cases of voter intimidation and discrimination demonstrate that we have more to accomplish.  By reauthorizing this legislation we will be able to continue to build on past progress.”

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