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Asian Americans Advancing Justice: Congress, No More Delays in Protecting the Right to Vote
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― The Senate concluded its debate on the Freedom to Vote: John Lewis Act, moved to a vote, and failed to get the number of votes to pass this essential legislation or to change rules long enough to break the impasse that would lead to swift passage of the legislation.
The Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation, a group of five independent Asian American civil rights organizations, issues the following statement on the importance of protecting the right to vote:
“We deserve a Congress willing to protect all Americans' right to vote. Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) are the fastest growing population in the U.S. with the number of eligible voters projected to be over 12 million by 2040. In many states, AAPI voters make up more than 5% of their electorates.
Each day that passes with a bipartisan Senate failing to do its job–to pass the Freedom to Vote: John Lewis Act–harmful anti-voter state laws are being passed to restrict our freedom to vote.
A fair and effective democracy is at stake for all of us. It is time to call out and hold accountable the politicians who are blocking this important voting rights legislation while they actively encourage restrictive laws with the hope of gaining an unfair advantage in the next elections.
We are at a turning point in our nation on the issue of voting rights and we cannot let this measure fail. The Senate must find a way to pass this legislation to protect our freedom to vote and prevent state laws and partisan politicians from sabotaging our right to access to the ballot box.
From our work on the ground in states across the country to the halls of Congress, Asian Americans Advancing Justice continues to protect this cornerstone of our democracy and build our communities’ political power. This is not over.”
Asian Americans Advancing Justice is a national affiliation of five leading organizations advocating for the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and other underserved communities to promote a fair and equitable society for all. The affiliation's members are: Advancing Justice - AAJC (Washington, DC), Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus (San Francisco), Advancing Justice - Los Angeles, Advancing Justice - Atlanta, and Advancing Justice - Chicago.