The Progressive Pulse: “House Democrats plan to next week unveil a new version of legislation named after the late Georgia civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis that could protect voting rights across the U.S.
During a Friday press conference, House Democratic Whip Jim Clyburn of South Carolina said that House Democrats are expected to introduce a revised H.R. 4, the John Lewis Voting Rights and Advancement Act, on Aug. 6. That is the same date that the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Clyburn said that many House Democrats are in favor of including provisions that would bolster the Voting Rights Act by establishing a new formula to require all 50 states to get special permission from the Justice Department before making any changes to voting laws or putting in place new voting requirements.
Democrats and the White House have repeatedly criticized new laws passed by Republicans at the state level that contain a variety of voting restrictions.
“There’s tremendous sentiment in our caucus for expanding preclearance to all 50 states, and that is because 48 states have either proposed or passed… restrictive laws,” Clyburn said. Preclearance would mean getting federal approval for changes in voting laws.”