WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined all of their Senate Democratic colleagues in reintroducing the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, legislation to update and reinforce safeguards in the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that have been eroded in recent years by federal court rulings. The legislation would strengthen our democracy by re-establishing preclearance for jurisdictions with a pattern of voting rights violations, protecting minority communities subject to discriminatory voting practices and defending election workers from threats and intimidation. It is named in honor of voting rights champion and former Congressman John Lewis.

This legislation is especially relevant in Texas where, following historic disapproval of congressional Republicans’ megabill, Texas state lawmakers are attempting to redistrict before the 2026 elections to pick up additional Republican House seats. The move comes in direct response to President Trump’s fears that voters may flip the House in the 2026 midterms.

“The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy and we have a moral obligation to ensure that every American can make their voice heard at the ballot box,” said Sens. Warner and Kaine. “In the years since the Supreme Court gutted key provisions of the Voting Rights Act, we’ve seen a wave of state-level efforts, like the one underway in Texas, designed to disenfranchise voters and rig the rules for partisan gain. The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act is a critical step toward protecting access to the ballot while honoring the legacy of a civil rights hero who dedicated his life to the fight for full participation in our democracy.”

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s damaging Shelby County decision in 2013 – which gutted the federal government’s ability under the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to prevent discriminatory changes to voting laws and procedures – states across the country have unleashed a torrent of voter suppression schemes that have systematically disenfranchised tens of thousands of American voters. The Supreme Court’s decision in Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee (2021) delivered yet another blow to the Voting Rights Act, by making it significantly harder for plaintiffs to win lawsuits under the landmark law against discriminatory voting laws or procedures.

The John R. Lewis Voting Advancement Act is supported by 178 organizations. Text of the legislation is available here. 

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