Washington, D.C. -This week, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, the Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, held a hearing to commemorate Black History Month by examining lessons from the civil rights movement on combating efforts to suppress the right to vote and how many of these lessons are particularly urgent in the face of similar voter suppression efforts today.
TAKEAWAYS
* Before the hearing, Chairwoman Maloney and Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Subcommittee Chairman Raskin released a staff memo with new documents obtained as part of the Committee’s investigation of voter suppression allegations in Georgia, Texas, and Kansas.
* Witnesses testified that despite hard-fought victories to protect and expand voting rights, today many Americans-especially those in minority communities-face significant barriers to registering to vote and casting a ballot.
* Diane Nash, civil rights activist, testified about how multiple states across the country are attacking the right to vote using tactics similar to those that civil rights pioneers battled more than 50 years ago.
* Congressman John Lewis submitted powerful written testimony. He outlined the many ways that the progress of the civil rights movement has been rolled back and voting rights are under attack today.
* Last year, the House passed two landmark bills to protect voting rights. Chairwoman Maloney shared in her opening statement that Senator Mitch McConnell has refused for months to allow the Senate to vote on these bills.
WITNESSES
Ms. Diane Nash
Civil Rights Activist
Founding Member, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
Mr. Timothy L. Jenkins
Board Member, Teaching for Change Board Member
Civil Rights Movement Archive, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
Rev. Doctor William J. Barber II
President, Repairers of the Breach and Co-Chair
Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival
Ms. Marcia Johnson-Blanco
Co-Director, Voting Rights Project
Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
VIDEOS
Watch Chairwoman Maloney’s opening statement.
Watch Chairwoman Maloney’s question line.
Watch Rep. Cooper’s question line.
Watch Rep. Connolly’s question line.
Watch Rep. Ocasio-Cortez’s question line.
Watch Rep. Pressley’s question line.
