On behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congresswoman Johnson gave a floor speech in the House of Representatives.
"Mr. Speaker, this month the Supreme Court will hear arguments in Shelby v. Holder, a case that challenges the constitutionality of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. It is imperative that the Voting Rights Act is upheld in its entirety, for without it, a fundamental piece of our democracy will be out of reach for millions in this country."
"As we saw in the recent election, discrimination on the basis of race is a persistent reality throughout many localities in states protected by Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. Without these protections, voters are at risk of losing their fundamental right to vote."
"The Voting Rights Act provides a remedy to protect voters, either by addressing actual instances of discrimination or by preventing discrimination from happening in the first place."
"Section 5 provides localities the opportunity to prove that they are fully committed to ensuring everyone has the right to vote, and sets out clear criteria for doing so. In this way, Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act encourages localities to establish fair voting practices, but demands real proof of progress."
"The Constitution is unequivocally clear that Congress has the authority to protect voters. That is why Congress has spent so much time in 2006 reviewing all of the data and hearing from all sides. The 2006 re-authorization was recognition that discrimination still exists, and that Congress has a responsibility to ensure that every voter may continue to exercise their right to vote."
